The Philadelphia Phillies gambled on a seasoned reliever, and it didn’t pay off when he was claimed by an NL East opponent.
It is probable that the Philadelphia Phillies will see reliever again soon. It just will not be in a Phillies uniform.
On Saturday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Jose Ruiz, who was designated for assignment on June 1, was claimed by the Atlanta Braves in an effort to fortify their bullpen after former Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel was designated for assignment.
Philadelphia designated him for assignment the same day it promoted Seth Johnson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Johnson has subsequently been optioned back to Alan Rangel and Daniel Robert.
Ruiz was in his second season with the Phillies when he suffered an injury that sidelined him for part of the season. In 16 games, he was 1-0 with an 8.16 ERA, striking out 12 and walking six over 14.1 innings. He also had three holds.
He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 1 and returned on May 18 following a rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
In 2024, he was an excellent bullpen option for the Phillies. He finished 5-1 with a 3.71 ERA in 52 games, striking out 52 and walking 17 in 51 innings. He also recorded a save.
Since making his Major League debut with the San Diego Padres in 2017, the right-hander has proven to be an effective reliever. He has a career record of 11-9 with a 4.55 ERA, 20 holds, and one save in 280 games. In his 284.2 career innings, he has 281 strikeouts and 150 walks.