Keibert Ruiz was recalled Saturday but his MLB did not come until the Freeway Series finale, and the 22-year-old catcher immediately contributed for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 8-3 win over the L.A. Angels.
Ruiz stepped to the plate in the third inning and launched a 1-1 pitch from Julio Teheran down the right-field line for a leadoff home run. He let out a yell as it stayed fair and several of Ruiz’s teammates in the dugout and extended seating area celebrated just as jubilantly.
“It was very exciting. First time being in the big leagues, and I was focused on getting a fastball and making good contact. Happy to be here with all these guys and keep learning,” Ruiz said after the game.
He became the seventh Dodgers player to hit a home run in his first career at-bat and the first to do so since Garey Ingram in 1994. There were calls of “baseball’s easy” once Ruiz returned to the dugout.
“They also said it’s downhill from here,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
While the organization has regularly received production from their talented farm system and the club was fully confident in Ruiz, the display of power was a surprise. He has just 29 career home runs at five different Minor League levels.
“I’ve been working a lot with [Brant Brown] and other coaches to make an adjustment to get better results. I want to keep working,” Ruiz said. “I’m going to keep working and doing my thing, but yeah I would like to be a power hitter and average hitter.
“I’m just going to keep focused on getting better every day.”
During his time at the Dodgers’ alternate training site Roberts noted Ruiz had been working with coaches on “backspin on the baseball to the pull side.”
Ruiz’s time refining his swing mechanics dates back to Spring Training, when he was delayed in making his 2020 Cactus League debut so that could be completed outside of a game setting. Ruiz also worked diligently between the time Spring Training was shut down and the start of Summer Camp.
“I was working in Arizona, on my lower half. I was jumping a little bit,” he said. I’ve got to keep working and keep focused for the next opportunity. I’ve been working and when I got to USC, I got more at-bats and felt better.
“Got taller (in batting stance), don’t jump with my leg, and like I said, I’m going to keep working and learning from guys on this team.”
Ruiz, May join Dodgers youngsters
Ruiz became the youngest Dodgers catcher to start a game since Dioner Navarro did so as a 21 year old in 2005. And in forming a battery with May, who also is 22 years old, they formed the youngest starter-catcher duo since Navarro caught Edwin Jackson (21) on Aug. 22, 2005.
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