Nationals Monday Fastball: Keibert Ruiz's Emergence Creates Complicated Situation

What are the Washington Nationals going to do at catcher now?

Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Right now, Keibert Ruiz is playing his best baseball since putting on a Washington Nationals uniform.

In the month of May, he has slashed .340/.347/.702 with three home runs, eight doubles and 13 RBIs. That has boosted his line to .252/.269/.485 on the year with a wRC+ of 105. It's the first time he has been above the league average mark in that category in a full season since he was traded to the Nationals, and he's finally starting to look like what they envisioned when they acquired him.

On the surface, that is a positive thing for Washington. Catcher has been one of the biggest issues on their roster for years, so to finally get this type of production from Ruiz has been huge. However, it also complicates things when it comes to the future of that position.

What Does This Means for Harry Ford?

Washington Nationals prospect Harry Ford | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The first obvious question that was created with the emergence of Ruiz is what that means for Harry Ford. This spring, there were many people out there -- myself included -- who thought the Nationals should put the star catching prospect on their Opening Day roster and give him the majority of reps. Instead, Washington decided to start him in Triple-A to continue developing his game on an everyday basis instead of using him in a backup role at the major league level.

Because of that, and with Ruiz performing like one of the best offensive catchers in baseball during the month of May, the timeline for Ford's arrival with the Nationals has become more murky. And while he hasn't exactly dominated with Triple-A Rochester so far with a slash line of .209/.327/.279 and 41 strikeouts through 34 games, they have to see what he can do in the MLB at some point.

So unless Washington changes their philosophy when it comes to the 23-year-old -- or if Ruiz reverts back to his previous self at the plate with a well below average wRC+ mark -- then it could be a while before Ford is called up to The Show. And that's something that not many people expected coming into the season after he was a headlining addition this past winter.

Could They Trade Keibert Ruiz When His Stock Is High?

Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

If Ruiz is able to sustain this level of play for two more months, then there's a chance he could generate some trade interest around the league based on him being a switch-hitting catcher who can hit double-digit homers and drive in 50-plus RBIs at his best. And while the eight-year, $50 million extension he signed ahead of the 2023 campaign was once seen as a liability, having a catcher in his prime for that price could be a steal for a cost-conscious team looking for a full-time backstop.

Again, on the surface, that sounds great. While the Nationals wouldn't recuperate near the same level of assets for Ruiz as they did when they acquired him in the deal that saw them trade Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they theoretically would get something back for a player who has largely disappointed during his tenure in Washington.

However, that also would open the Nationals up to some risks. What happens if Harry Ford isn't ready to be a full-time major league catcher? And if he is, but he gets injured, are they prepared to roll with Millas and Riley Adams for an extended period like they did last year? Looking even further down the road, trading Ruiz now while there are still long-term viability questions about Ford could hurt the outlook of that position for years to come.

At some point, all of this will work itself out, especially if Ruiz's production dips again. But right now, with Ruiz performing like one of the best offensive catchers in the sport during May, that has created a complicated situation for the Nationals that they have to ponder.