Carlos Ruiz prepares to take batting practice (Frank Klose/Philliedelphia)
By: Tim Kelly, Managing Editor 
Though the Philadelphia Phillies future appears as bright as it has entering summer in some time, one topic pertaining to the Phillies figures to be rather uninteresting this summer: trade rumors.
Since the team traded for Cliff Lee during the summer of 2009, each summer — whether it pertained to buying, selling or somewhere in between — has featured discussion of the Phillies potentially making a high profile trade. That's not to say that the Phillies made one every season, the team infamously stood pat at the 2014 non-waiver trade deadline, but within the past seven years, the Phillies have traded for Cliff Lee and Hunter Pence while trading Pence, Cole Hamels Jonathan Papelbon and Shane Victorino, among others.
In 2016, the Phillies seem unlikely to make any moves that will rival the aforementioned moves in terms of impact, but it does appear that one player is, perhaps by default, becoming the Phillies most talked about trade candidate.
Catcher Carlos Ruiz, one season removed from batting just .211, has revived his career at the age of 37 in a reduced role, as he is batting .257 with three home runs and seven RBIs. Adding him wouldn't necessarily be a sexy move, but he would give a contender a second catching option with a ton of post-season experience. As one National League scout recently told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Ruiz could serve as a cheaper alternative to someone like Jonathan Lucroy at the trade deadline.
As for Ruiz, he conceited to Matt Gelb of Philly.com that his future in Philadelphia is unclear earlier this month, though he seemed to suggest that he would prefer to continue winning with the club in 2016. Ruiz elaborated on those thoughts in a piece written by Jim Salisbury of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, who noted that Ruiz gains 10-and-5 rights in July, by suggesting that he would like to stay in Philadelphia, but wouldn't necessarily block any trade to a contender if the Phillies were to fall out of the race this summer.
“I don’t know if I can see myself in a different uniform, but if I have to go I have to go,” Ruiz said. “I believe any player would like to finish his career for the same team, but in this business you never know what can happen. Maybe I finish here, maybe I finish with somebody else. Who knows? But I am happy here.”
Ruiz's quote is interesting because regardless of whether the Phillies trade Ruiz this summer or not, their farm system's catching depth seems to make it a near lock that his $4.5 million option for 2016 will be declined. Ruiz saying that if he "has to go" he would consider leaving Philadelphia suggests that despite a strong start to 2016, Ruiz could consider retiring following the 2016 season, rather than joining a new team.
As it currently stands, the Phillies are 25-19, which means they are just two games out of the National League East lead and would be one of the league's two wild-card representatives if the season ended today. If the Phillies continue on this pace, Ruiz may get his wish and get to stay in Philadelphia for the rest of 2016, while playing for a contender.
