Keibert Ruiz $50M deal with Nationals could be worth $76M over 10 years

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Catcher Keibert Ruiz gets a $3 million signing bonus as part of his eight-year, $50 million contract with the Washington Nationals, a deal that could be worth $76 million over 10 seasons if the team exercises a pair of options.

The 24-year-old gets $1 million this year and $6 million next year as part of the contract. He gets $5 million annually from 2025-27, $7 million in 2029 and $9 million in both 2029 and 2030.

Washington’s options are for $12 million in 2031 and $14 million in 2032, with no buyouts.

Ruiz was among four players traded by the Dodgers to Washington in July 2021 for pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner. Ruiz hit .251 last year with seven homers and 36 RBIs.

He has played in parts of three seasons and likely would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2024 season.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.