Some Nationals fans wrote this player off after the season they had in 2024. While some fans stuck beside him, they are rewarded now. Keibert Ruiz looks like a different player than the one we saw struggle mightily last season. The Nats' catcher is hitting .309 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and an OPS of .791 entering action on Sunday.
In the 2024 season, Ruiz hit .229 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI and an OPS of .619. This was an awful season for the now 26-year-old Venezuelan-born catcher. It's very important to note that Ruiz contracted a sickness that was going around in the Nats' clubhouse that made him lose over 15 pounds. Once I read that headline last April, I knew it would be an extremely uphill battle for Ruiz to return to form in 2024. Ruiz never did come into his own last season, and losing those 15 pounds was a big reason behind it, in my opinion.
Now fully healthy, Ruiz is showing why he was a highly rated prospect in the Dodgers organization. Notably, Ruiz has started in 17 out of the Nats' 19 games this season. He's forcing coach Davey Martinez to keep him in the lineup. Ruiz has hit as high as third in the order on a regular basis early on this season. I don't think it would be bad to see Keibert be the DH and have Riley Adams catch a few games, as this would allow Ruiz to stay fresh throughout the season.
The Nats locked up Ruiz to an eight-year, $50 million contract at the beginning of the 2023 season, the first of the young core to be signed to an extension. That contract is starting to look great for the Nats' front office. Could Ruiz's success prove to the front office, "It's okay to sign some of these players," and offer an extension to James Wood? That's a deep-rooted question, but hopefully, the answer is yes.
Last week saw a dramatic turn of events for the Washington Nationals. From taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the humbling abode of the Pittsburgh Pirates for three losses, momentum in baseball is key, and the Nats have none of it. Keibert Ruiz has been one of the Nats' best hitters early in the season. Can his teammates right the ship?