The last time José Ruiz took the mound with the Chicago White Sox, he was getting knocked around the yard while the team was starting the 2023 season in nightmare fashion.
Ruiz had a 22.09 ERA when the White Sox designated him for assignment on April 7, 2023. It was the beginning of his sixth season with Chicago, but it's hard to believe he lasted that long considering his career ERA was 4.56 with the club.
What's even harder to believe is that Ruiz got a couple more shots in Major League Baseball after the White Sox let him go. Two days after being DFA'd by the White Sox, Ruiz was claimed on waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He had a 4.43 ERA with Arizona for the remainder of 2023.
Ruiz went to pitch in the Venezuelan Winter League over the next offseason. He had a 5.59 ERA with Navegantes del Magallanes, but still managed to get a minor league contract from the Philadelphia Phillies. At the start of May, Ruiz got called back up to the Major Leagues and went on to have a solid season in Philadelphia, posting a 5-1 record with a 3.71 ERA.
The luck seems to have run out for Ruiz in 2025. He has now been cut by two different teams this season and looking at his MLB numbers, I'd be shocked if he gets another opportunity.
Ruiz has been awful in 2025
In 16 games with the Phillies to start the season, Ruiz pitched 14.1 innings. He has given up 21 hits, 14 runs, and three home runs during those innings. That's an ERA of 8.16.
On June 1, the Phillies decided they had seen enough. Ruiz was designated for assignment and claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves one week later.
Ruiz was on the Braves active roster for 12 days and only pitched twice. He most recently gave up three runs in one inning against the 17-58 Colorado Rockies. It raised his season ERA to 8.82, and the Braves finally designated Ruiz for assignment on Friday.
With an 8.82 ERA at 30 years old and no signs of any improvements coming, I think we've seen the last of José Ruiz in Major League Baseball.
I must say, I'm surprised he has made it this long. Ruiz is a former shortstop that converted himself into a pitcher. He has a 4.62 career ERA and a career fWAR of -0.3...but he somehow appeared in 282 big league games and made approximately $5 million during his career.