Ka kammala wannan magana: A shekara ta 1984, Ruthven ya fara raguwa a cikin tasirinsa. Ya fara kakar wasa a matsayin ranar buɗewa don Cubs, ya ci nasara a ranar 3 ga Afrilu a kan San Francisco Giants. Kodayake Cubs za su lashe rabon tare da nasara 96, Ruthven zai lashe wasanni shida ne kawai a kan asarar goma, wanda aka tattara a wasanni 23 (farawa 22). Matsakaicin nasarar da ya samu ya kuma tashi, ya tashi zuwa 5.04. Wannan shi ne mafi ƙarancin nasarar da ya samu tun 1975. Ruthven bai bayyana a cikin
Wasannin Gasar Zakarun Kasa na 1984, wanda Cubs suka rasa a wasanni biyar zuwa San Diego Padres.