In a decision no one saw coming but one that could be understood, the Los Angeles Dodgers packaged A.J. Ellis in a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Carlos Ruiz and cash considerations.
The swap of backup catchers was monumental for both franchises as Ellis had been with the Dodgers since being drafted by the club in 2003, and Ruiz the Phillies since signing in 1998. Ellis was naturally emotional when speaking with the media from the home dugout at Dodger Stadium for the final time this season.
While Ellis is most often associated with Clayton Kershaw, truth of the matter is the 35-year-old enjoyed close relationships with several other teammates. “It’s tough for me and Kersh. The way [Ellis] helped us is so tremendous,” Kenley Jansen said.
“It’s tough to lose a guy like that. We’ve experienced a lot together and he’s helped me.” In his 13th year, Ellis was the longest-tenured player in the Dodgers organization. Jansen isn’t far behind in his 12th year.
“We’ve grown up with each other,” the Dodgers’ closer said. Now in his third season with the Dodgers, Justin Turner also spoke from inside a somber clubhouse not long after the trade was officially announced.
“It’s a tough day. On a personal level, A.J. has been a great friend of mine for three years now,” Turner said. “Not just him on the field, but his family off the field as well. I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know them. The friendship is awesome, which makes this a lot harder than any normal trade.”
Turner recalled several conversations he had with Ellis whether traveling or working out together. Further embodying the catcher’s impact and influence on the Dodgers clubhouse came with rookie Ross Stripling speaking fondly of his former teammate.
“He’s a phenomenal teammate. Just the couple of months that I’ve been able to work with him I’ve learned a tremendous amount,” Stripling said.
“He definitely was a guy who took me under his wing and taught me some things. What I learned from him can’t be explained.” Stripling added that Ellis spoke with each player prior to leaving the stadium.
Corey Seager, who ended San Francisco Giants lefty Matt Moore’s no-hitter with a two-out single in the ninth inning, said of the trade, “That’s hard. You’re losing a teammate and friend. He was here a long time and did a lot for this organization.”
Ellis undeniably is having a down season. But his value extends well beyond that, and trust in Ellis has never waned. “He’s a gamer. I think he’s shown that in the playoffs the last few years,” Scott Van Slyke said.
“When it really comes down to it, he can pull stuff out where you don’t think he has it. But it’s there. The way he prepares, helps the pitchers prepare, handles the dugout during the game, talks to the coaches, everything he does is beneficial.”
While the trade seemed to genuinely shock the clubhouse, the Dodgers have a division race, and potential postseason run, to remain focused on. That wasn’t lost on Jansen even in the midst of the emotional period.
“We’ve just got to move on,” Jansen said. “[Ellis] would want us to because he knows we have a special team.”
