The Carlos Ruiz era in Philadelphia has officially come to an end.
According to a report by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports on Thursday, the longtime Phillies catcher has been traded along with cash to the LA Dodgers in a backstop exchange for AJ Ellis. Also headed to the Phillies are right-handed pitching prospect Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named later.
Full trade announced by #Phillies: Carlos Ruiz and cash to #Dodgers for A.J. Ellis, RHP Tommy Bergjans and a PTBNL.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 25, 2016
The 33-year-old Ruiz had been in the Phillies organization since 1998, when he was signed by the team as an amateur free agent. He won a World Series with them in 2008.
The Dodgers have struggled to receive a consistent contribution from the catcher position with Ellis and Yasmani Grandal hitting just .220 combined on the season. Ruiz, who has a .261 batting average and a .719 OPS in 2016 should be able to help out in that regard.
With the Dodgers trying to fight off the San Francisco Giants for the NL West lead, a cost-effective acquisition like the former All-Star Ruiz could really make a difference for them down the stretch and onwards into the postseason.
Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
