By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
According to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz.
Sources: The Phillies have traded Carlos Ruiz to the Dodgers.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) August 25, 2016
Ruiz had spent his entire career with the team, earning 10-and-5 rights earlier this summer. That means that the 2008 World Champion had to agree to being dealt.
Gelb also noted that the Phillies will be receiving veteran catcher A.J. Ellis as part of the return for Ruiz.
Source: A.J. Ellis and a prospect will go to Phillies for Carlos Ruiz.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) August 25, 2016
Ellis, 35, is batting .194 with one home run and 13 RBIs in 2016. He is eligible to become a free-agent after the season and given the Phillies minor league catching depth, and Cameron Rupp's strong 2016 season, he seems unlikely to be a part of their long-term plans. So essentially, barring an elite prospect coming back, the Phillies seem to have done this as a favor to the 37-year-old Ruiz, who now gets a chance to join a pennant race. The only confusing part about his inclusion in the trade is that he had been Clayton Kershaw's personal catcher.
The Ruiz trade doesn't come as a shock, as ESPN's Jayson Stark reported yesterday that Ruiz and teammate Ryan Howard had cleared waivers and that two teams were 'mulling' whether to trade for Ruiz. Howard is now the last remaining member of the 2008 World Series champion team.
