Ruiz trying to survive up-and-down season with Chicago White Sox; Robert stays hot
Jose Ruiz found himself at a familiar place Saturday. The airport.
He's been getting on and off planes at a dizzying pace this season, and the 24-year-old relief pitcher knows the route quite well by now.
Chicago to Charlotte. Charlotte to Chicago. Back and forth, to and fro.
"You have to be ready for everything if you play this sport," Ruiz said. "You have to be strong mentally and be ready."
The Chicago White Sox optioned Ruiz to Class AAA Charlotte on Saturday. It is very common for young middle relievers to bounce between the minor leagues and majors, but Ruiz's case is a bit extreme.
Since joining the Sox from Triple-A on April 3, has been sent back to Charlotte five times.
Ruiz, 1-2 with a 5.24 ERA in 35 appearances with the White Sox this season, stays in a hotel when he's in Chicago and he stays with a friend when he's in Charlotte.
"I never put my head down," Ruiz said. "No matter where I am, I stay the same every day. I try to get better every day. When I am here (White Sox), I try to take advantage of the opportunity and do a good job."
Robert reaches 30/30:
Prized Sox prospect Luis Robert hit another home run with Class AAA Charlotte on Saturday night, giving him 30 for the season.
Add in his combined 36 stolen bases for Charlotte, AA Birmingham and high A Winston-Salem and Robert is the first 30/30 player in the minor leagues since the Los Angeles Dodgers' Joc Pederson accomplished the feat with Class AAA Albuquerque in 2014.
"It's impressive," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He's done some really, really impressive things this season. Good for him. He's showing everybody that he continues to improve and progress, which is what the organization has wanted."
Robert, a 22-year-old center fielder, is clearly good enough to be with the Sox right now.
He deserves to come up when rosters expand in September, but the White Sox might wait on Robert until next season.
"It has been really, really important for him to stay out there and get the at-bats and get the experience at the minor-league level, let alone the major-league level, to show everybody what his skills are about," Renteria said.
"He's scratching the surface, and hopefully that is something that will be able to transition somewhere down in the near future here at the major-league level."
Swing and a miss:
When told that Texas manager Chris Woodward said he was happy they didn't have to face him in the four-game series that ended Sunday, emerging Sox ace Lucas Giolito had a laugh at his own expense.
"Last year, I'm sure 29 of 30 teams would've loved to have me for a series," Giolito said. "It's a little bit different now. It's cool to see recognition from peers and other managers and things like that when it comes to the personal success I guess I've experienced this year. That's a good feeling."
Last season Giolito had the highest ERA (6.13) in baseball. This year he ranks sixth in the American League with a 3.20 ERA.