Chicago White Sox reliever José Ruiz noticed a well-known face within the batter’s field for Team USA throughout Saturday’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal in Miami.
Pitching for Team Venezuela, Ruiz squared off in opposition to Sox teammate Tim Anderson.
“That was a very funny moment,” Ruiz mentioned via an interpreter Monday. “I didn’t know he was on deck until I saw him in the batter’s box. It was a healthy competition.”
Ruiz received the higher of the matchup, hanging out Anderson within the first inning of the 9-7 U.S. victory.
“Afterward, when he was at third base, I was messing around with him from the dugout,” Ruiz mentioned.
Ruiz had a powerful WBC, going 2-0 and permitting one hit with 5 strikeouts in 4⅓ scoreless innings throughout three appearances.
“I love what he’s done,” Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol mentioned Sunday. “I really like the depth and focus of his pitches, his demeanor, his capacity to return out for a second inning. Just his presence on the large stage has been actually good. Sometimes it’s good to see stuff like that.
“He raised the bar and that’s really good for me. I don’t really know him that well. Spent a couple weeks with him here before he left. But I saw some good things that now I’m able to talk to him about. That’s the Ruiz I’m expecting back here.”
Ruiz returned to Sox camp Monday after Venezuela’s loss Saturday. He mentioned the occasion “definitely brought (out) the best of me.”
“I was able to compete and challenge other batters and see what I am really able to do,” he mentioned “and I definitely boosted my confidence. It taught me a lot (about) how I can do things and how good I can be.”
He agreed with Grifol’s evaluation of elevating the bar.
“I know that all the coaches were paying attention to me,” Ruiz mentioned. “I obtained textual content messages from (bullpen coach Curt Hasler), from (pitching coach) Ethan (Katz) and from Pedro, particularly on the finish congratulating me for the work that I did. I simply wish to carry that into the season.
“I want to help this team to win, to get to the postseason and hopefully to win a World Series. That’s my mind.”
Ruiz mentioned his favourite WBC expertise got here within the first sport of Pool D play in opposition to the Dominican Republic.
“It was a tie game, 1-1 (in the fourth), and I was able to do my job (retiring two of the three batters he faced) and we ended up winning the game,” Ruiz mentioned.
In his remaining outing within the event, Ruiz struck out Anderson and Mike Trout throughout a scoreless 1⅔ innings Saturday.
“The whole experience was incredible,” Ruiz mentioned. “I had the possibility to face TA, Trout, (Juan) Soto, (Mookie) Betts. … I used to be very excited.
“It was something out of this world, the experience we had there. Being able to represent your country and to play in front of that many people was very nice.”
Ruiz, 28, went 1-0 with a 4.60 ERA in 63 reduction appearances final season for the Sox. He’s incorporating a sinker to go together with his different pitches.
“The changeup is definitely one of my best pitches, along with the fastball and the slider,” he mentioned. “Those three pitches labored fairly effectively within the event and I simply wish to preserve enhancing and preserve these pitches being efficient.
“And now also trying the sinker, which is another pitch that I think is going to help me to be more effective. And that’s something I have to keep working on and I try to get better every day with all my pitches and keep all of them working effectively.”
Matt Foster unavailable with proper forearm pressure
Reliever Matt Foster is coping with a proper forearm pressure, the Sox mentioned Monday. They hope to know extra a couple of timeline by the top of camp.
Foster is 1-0 with three strikeouts in three scoreless innings this spring. He final pitched in a Cactus League sport on March 5. The right-hander was 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 48 reduction outings in 2022.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com