Nationals Set to Evaluate Keibert Ruiz Further, Unsure About Status

On Wednesday, the Washington Nationals saw their catcher toss his mask off and lean over after getting smoked by a foul ball in the top of the fourth inning.

Based on the head issues Keibert Ruiz dealt with last year -- being diagnosed with two concussions that prevented him from playing in a major league game after July 5 -- that was not a welcome sight. And unsurprisingly, following an evaluation by the trainer and manager Blake Butera, the Nationals decided to pull him from the finale against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

In the postgame, Butera described Ruiz as being "OK." He traveled with Washington to Los Angeles for their upcoming six-game West Coast road trip, but it's unclear if he's going to be available.

Nationals Will Continue to Evaluate Keibert Ruiz

Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"We have to see how it is over the next 24 hours," Butera said, per MLB.com. "I think it's more of a day-to-day thing, but won't really know a ton until he checks in [Thursday]."

The skipper said that the foul ball impacted Ruiz's jaw when it hit his mask. He then added that Ruiz's head was bothering him, so based on the history the catcher has had with concussions, they decided to remove him out of caution since they didn't want to risk anything. However, Butera added that they went through concussion tests with the doctor on the field, and everything "came out OK."

Whether or not that means Ruiz will be available for the six-game road trip isn't clear. Last season, when he was trying to return in September, he experienced headaches and dizziness during a rehab assignment, which caused Washington to shut him down for the year.

Not Having Keibert Ruiz Would Be Major Blow to Lineup

Based on the past few seasons, there weren't a lot of high hopes for what Ruiz could provide.

He had never had an OPS+ figure above the league average of 100 mark, and after posting a 98 in 2023, his production fell to an OPS+ of 74 in 2024 and then a 67 in 2025 before he was placed on the injured list in early-July due to that concussion.

But Ruiz has been a key part of the National's lineup this year. He has an OPS+ of 110, and while he still hasn't reached double-digits in home runs (nine), he has the highest slugging percentage of his major league career (.449) and the best batting average (.282) of his career, too.

The hope is Ruiz avoided a head injury and he won't have to miss any time. But that won't be determined until later, as Washington has a day off before they face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

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