Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz returned to the seven-day concussion list Tuesday after being active for two games.
In a corresponding move, the Nationals recalled catcher Drew Millas from Triple-A Rochester. Right-hander Trevor Williams (right elbow sprain) was transferred from the 15- to the 60-day injured list, right-hander Eduardo Salazar was optioned to Rochester, and the team signed right-hander Luis Garcia to a one-year major league contract.
Ruiz, who turns 27 on July 20, was struck in the head by a foul ball while sitting in the dugout during a 10-6 road win over the San Diego Padres on June 23. He went on the concussion IL on June 27, then was activated Friday.
He played in two home losses to the Boston Red Sox on Friday and Saturday, going a combined 2-for-8 with two singles and one RBI.
This season, Ruiz is batting .247 with two home runs and 25 RBIs in 68 games. The native of Venezuela is a career .248 hitter with 44 homers and 201 RBIs in 474 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021-22) and Nationals (2022-present).
The Nationals obtained Ruiz as part of a trade on July 30, 2021, that sent right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner to the Dodgers.
Salazar, 27, is 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA, 16 walks and 23 strikeouts in 29 innings over 30 relief appearances this season.
Millas, 27, has hit .143 (1-for-7) with a double and one RBI in three games for Washington this season. He was hitting .247 with four homers and 25 RBIs in 52 games for Rochester.
Williams, 33, surrendered a season-high seven runs in three innings last Wednesday during a 11-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers. He was 3-10 with a 6.21 ERA in 17 starts this season before landing on the IL.
The Dodgers released Garcia, 38, on July 4. He was 2-0 with a 5.27 ERA, 16 walks and 24 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings over 28 relief appearances for Los Angeles. He also was on the injured list with an abductor strain for a month. Garcia has a career 28-28 record with a 4.20 ERA, 247 walks and 523 strikeouts in 573 games (four starts) for seven major league teams in 13 seasons since 2013.
He shares the same name as the Nationals’ starting second baseman, 25-year-old Luis Garcia Jr.
The Nationals also announced that right-hander Travis Sykora of Double-A Harrisburg — ranked their No. 1 prospect and No. 30 overall by mlb.com — will not participate in the Futures Game. Sykora, 21, a third-round pick in 2023, has right lower triceps soreness and will be shut down from throwing for two to three weeks.
Sykora was on the National League roster for the minor league showcase on Saturday at Atlanta’s Truist Park as part of All-Star Game events.
–Field Level Media
