"I guess I have something to prove this year," Ruthven said, after a start on April 19, 1978. "Still, I could pitch very well and not have a good record, as I did last year. It would be nice if I could pitch back to 1976." He started with only a 2-6 record for the Braves, though his earned run average had improved some (4.10), when he was re-acquired by the Phillies on June 15. For Ruthven, the Phillies sent popular relief pitcher Gene Garber to Atlanta. Ruthven was stellar with the Phillies, going 13-5 from June 15 to the end of the regular season, with a 2.99 earned run average. For the entire season, Ruthven's record was 15-11 with a 3.38 earned run average. His contributions helped the Phillies win 90 games and capture the Eastern Division title, the team's third division title in a row. He pitched one game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1978 National League Championship Series, losing Game 2 of a series the Phillies lost in four games.