The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Carlos Ruiz and cash considerations from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for A.J. Ellis, Minor League pitcher Tommy Bergjans, and cash considerations or a player to be named later.
Ellis, who was selected by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2003 Draft, has found playing time hard to come by since the club traded for Yasmani Grandal prior to the 2015 season. Ellis hit .194/.285/.252 with five doubles, one home run and 13 RBI in 53 games this season.
He avoided arbitration during the offseason by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. Ellis is eligible to become a free agent after this season.
Bergjans went 3-13 with a 4.98 ERA in 24 games (21 starts) for High-A Rancho Cucamonga this year. He was selected by the Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2015 Draft.
Ruiz has played in more than 1,000 games for the Phillies after being signed by the club as an amateur free agent in 1998. He made his Major League debut in 2006 as has since been a significant part of the organization.
This season the 37-year-old Ruiz is batting .261/.368/.352 with six doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI. Ruiz has a $4.5 million club option on his contract for 2017, which includes a $500,000 buyout.
