Clubs fourth homer Ruiz went 2-for-3 with a double, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Friday's 8-6 loss to the Tigers. Impact The catcher took Mason Englert deep in the seventh inning for his fourth long ball of the season, helping make the final score respectable after the Nationals had fallen into an 8-0 hole. Ruiz has had trouble building any momentum at the plate, slashing just .158/.222/.316 through 15 games in May, and it's possible the 24-year-old is already wearing down under a heavy workload -- only four other backstops in the league (Adley Rutschman, Willson Contreras, Salvador Perez and Tyler Stephenson) have more plate appearances in 2023 than Ruiz, but all four have seen more time at DH than he has.
MAY 20, 2023 • ROTOWIRE