Hanley Ramirez hasn’t played in a Major League Baseball game since May when he was designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox. But he’s reportedly going to attempt a comeback that has his former manager happy for him.
Ramirez reportedly agreed to a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Indians on Saturday. And while the deal doesn’t guarantee he’ll step foot on an MLB field, it’s certainly a step in the right direction for the 35-year-old.
Sox manager Alex Cora was the last big-league coach Ramirez played for. He wasn’t picked up by another team (by his own choice, according to Ramirez), but Cora is excited he gets another chance to play baseball.
Check out his reaction from The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham:
Alex Cora on Hanley Ramirez signing a minor league deal with Cleveland: pic.twitter.com/r8FQDlXd9R
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) February 24, 2019
Ramirez began the 2018 campaign with a .330 average, but his production took a significant drop in May and was batting a mere .163. He played 18 games in the Dominican Winter League this offseason.
It will be interesting to see how his minor-league deal plays out and if Ramirez will get another chance at the bigs. But if and when that happens, he certainly will have the support of Cora.
