Nationals' Keibert Ruiz Exits Game After Being Hit in the Head by Teammate's Foul Ball

Published: June 24, 2025

A freak accident occurred during the Washington Nationals' game against the San Diego Padres on Monday, June 23, when catcher Keibert Ruiz was hit in the head by a foul ball while in the dugout.

Ruiz, 26, was struck on the right side of his head by an 82.4 mph ball that ricocheted off the back of the Nationals' dugout after teammate Josh Bell fouled off Padres pitcher Stephen Kolek. The ball hit Ruiz with significant force, causing a lump on his head, according to Nationals manager Dave Martinez.

"The ball hit him pretty solid on the side of the head," Martinez said. "First, we all ducked. When he went down, we kind of got scared a little bit. He had a nice lump on his head. A little concerned right now."

Ruiz was coherent and answering questions after the incident, but he was replaced by backup catcher Riley Adams for the remainder of the game. He later underwent a CT scan offsite, according to MLB.com.

The Venezuelan catcher was called up to the majors in 2020 and made his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was traded to the Nationals a year later in a deal for Trea Turner and Max Scherzer.