Ramirez's interest in returning to the game was first reported on Sunday, and on Monday, Major League Baseball released an official statement on Ramirez's desire to be reinstated. Rather than serve a 100-game suspension for his second violation of the league's drug policy in April, Ramirez instead chose to retire. If he's to return, he'll still have to sit out some.
"Free-agent Manny Ramirez has applied to the Commissioner to be reinstated from the voluntary retired list," the league announced in a statement Monday. "As a condition of his reinstatement, Ramirez will be required to resolve his outstanding violation of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, which was announced on April 8, 2011.
"The Office of the Commissioner and the Players Association have agreed that Ramirez will receive a 50-game suspension under the Joint Drug Program upon his reinstatement from the voluntary retired list. Such suspension shall begin with the first game that Ramirez is eligible to play after a Club signs him to a contract."
In five games with the Tampa Bay Rays last season, Ramirez had just one hit in 17 at-bats before registering a positive test. It was just the beginning of a tumultuous year for Ramirez, who was also arrested in September on domestic abuse charges.
