Family of Nationals Star Gets To See Him Perform in Person for First Time

The Washington Nationals have been showing some signs of life recently, winning five games in a row and six out of their last seven following a brutal stretch in which they lost seven consecutive contests.

Part of the reason for their struggles has been an inconsistent offense and a bullpen that was incapable of holding leads, but improvements have steadily been made in both areas with a few standout performers.

One of the players who is excelling at the plate thus far this season is catcher Keibert Ruiz, who has bounced back in a major way after an incredibly disappointing 2024.

Through 44 games and 177 plate appearances, he has a .283/.328/.373 slash line with a 100 OPS+. Last year, he had an underwhelming .229/.260/.359 slash line, failing to live up to the expectations as a former top prospect.

There were serious questions about whether finding a new catcher would be on the team’s to-do list moving forward, but those concerns have been quelled by Ruiz’s breakout performance at the plate.

He is currently riding a four-game hitting streak, recording multiple hits twice. At least one RBI has been recorded in all four contests as well, providing nice production in the second half of the lineup.

In the team’s most recent game against the Atlanta Braves, an 8-7 win in 10 innings, Ruiz went 2-for-5 with one double, knocking in two runs.

That double will be an at-bat that he remembers forever because it was a special one.

For the first time in his Major League career, Ruiz had his mother and father in attendance watching him play.