What happened in 2016: Acquired by the Dodgers in a controversial August trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, Carlos Ruiz was brought in to give the Dodgers a veteran presence behind the plate and an upgrade off the bench against left-handed pitching.
Clubhouse dynamics be damned, the Dodgers made a bold move on August 25 when they sent long-tenured and respected catcher A.J. Ellis and minor leaguer Joey Curletta to the Phillies in exchange for Ruiz, a player to be named later (Tommy Bergjans) and cash.
Fans and players alike were stunned by the move, but the Dodgers’ historically bad showing against left-handed pitching gave the trade a logical justification.