Tim Rogers
One of the top prospects with the Dodgers is Keibert Ruiz. He made his Major League debut this past season and started out with a bang.
Keibert Ruiz, welcome to The Show!
The #Dodgers prospect went yard (104.3 mph exit velocity) in his first #MLB at-bat. pic.twitter.com/znUSaGrpqL
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 16, 2020
Despite his excellent debut he did not get many plate appearances at all in his ten day stay in The Show. He was able to get some work at the alternate training site but those weren’t real games. Players like Ruiz needed to get more competitive at-bats and winter ball was one way to do it. Just a few weeks ago it was announced that Ruiz would play for Los Leones in Venezuela.
Now it looks like Ruiz has left the team. Note: click on the Tweet to get the option to see the translation.
Keibert Ruiz no jugará más con @leones_cbbc por el resto de la campaña.
De hecho ya ayer no estaba con el equipo. #LVBP
— Efraín Zavarce (@EfrainZavarce) December 16, 2020
It sounds like there was some disagreements with management. Now, Ruiz struggled a lot at the plate as he slashed .129/.250/.161 (AVG/OBP/SLG) so that explains him not playing so much. The winter leagues are very competitive and they won’t be very patient.
via @NazaR0304: mis sospechas de ayer con Ruiz no eran solo rumores, al parecer hay desacuerdos con la incompetente Gerencia y ya no jugara con el equipo
— Leones del Caracas (@caraquistas) December 16, 2020
At the end of the day Keibert Ruiz needed playing time but Los Leones could no longer provide it. I’m not worried about Ruiz but I do wish he was getting plaything time. As with many players that lost most of the 2020 season Ruiz needed more repetitions. Just a reminder, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in about two months.
