Hanley Ramirez returns to baseball, signs minor league deal with Indians
By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
Hanley Ramirez is back in professional baseball after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox last May.
Ramirez signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians over the weekend. Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the agreement.
Hanley Ramirez in agreement with #Indians on minor-league deal, pending physical, sources tell The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 24, 2019
Ramirez hit .254 with 6 home runs in 177 at-bats for Boston last season. Last year marked the final season of Ramirez’s 4-year, $88 million deal with the Red Sox. The team avoided a vesting option by releasing Ramirez, who needed just under 500 plate appearances to guarantee an additional $22 million from the Sox for 2019.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora wished Ramirez well when asked about the signing on Sunday.
Alex Cora on Hanley Ramirez signing a minor league deal with Cleveland: pic.twitter.com/r8FQDlXd9R
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) February 24, 2019
Ramirez could compete for time with the Indians, who traded away designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion this offseason.
You can hear Matt McCarthy on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s own Hardcore Baseball podcast and on various 98.5 The Sports Hub programs. Follow him on Twitter @MattMcCarthy985.