4 Ways the Phillies Can Replace Carlos Ruiz During His 25-Game Suspension

Carlos Ruiz apparently felt he needed a little pick-me-up. But since he tested positive for a banned stimulant, the Philadelphia Phillies catcher incurred a 25-game suspension from MLB.

Ruiz was flagged for using Adderall, an amphetamine typically used to control attention deficit disorder. It’s still a performance-enhancing drug. But since Ruiz was caught for using a stimulant, rather than a steroid, he draws the shorter suspension under MLB’s drug policy. 

So the Phillies don’t have their All-Star catcher and MVP candidate available for the regular season until April 28. That’s quite a blow, since Ruiz was the team’s best hitter this season, batting .325 with a .935 OPS, 16 home runs and 68 RBI in 114 games. He’s also currently Philadelphia’s only consistent right-handed bat.

How can the Phillies replace Ruiz while he’s absent for the first month of the season? Here are four possibilities for the team to try.

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