By: Tim Kelly, Managing Editor 
After he hit just .211 with two home runs in 2015, if the Philadelphia Phillies had the option to not bring back Carlos Ruiz for 2016 without a penalty, they probably would have taken that option. Of course, such an option didn't exist, so the Phillies brought Ruiz back for what many expected to be a farewell tour of sorts in 2016, and instead have gotten enough production from the 37-year-old to garner summer trade speculation.
Ruiz is hitting .291 after Friday night's win over the Cincinnati Reds, with one National League scout suggesting to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that Ruiz could be a secondary option on the catching trade market later this summer.
Ruiz and Ryan Howard are the last two pieces of the Phillies’ championship roster, and Ruiz is now tradeable because he has performed well offensively (hitting .288) and he’s done a nice job catching the Phillies’ young staff. “He doesn’t have the arm he once had, so that aspect of his game won’t come back, but young pitchers love throwing to him. He’s a cheaper alternative to someone like Jonathan Lucroy,” said a National League scout.
Trading for Ruiz wouldn't be like trading for someone like Lucroy, who is 29 and seemingly would see a huge jump in offensive production if he joined a contending lineup. But if you couple Ruiz's production with the experience he has in the playoffs, adding him could make sense for a team that maybe doesn't want to give up the prospects it would take to land Lucroy, such as the Texas Rangers.
A potential trade prior to the August 1 trade deadline is contingent on a few things. First, the 21-15 Phillies, who would be one of the two National League wild-card teams if the season ended today, will have to fall out of the race. Secondly, Ruiz will have to continue playing at a level similar to what he's doing now, which seems fairly realistic if the Phillies continue to use him in a secondary role like they have thus far.
For his part, Ruiz told Philly.com's Matt Gelb that he 'doesn't know' what will happen at the trade deadline, but didn't seem ready to discount the idea of the Phillies being in contention throughout the entire season.
