Hanley Ramírez (born December 23, 1983) is a
Dominican-American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
,
Florida / Miami Marlins,
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, and
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. Ramírez is a three-time
MLB All-Star
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
and received the 2006
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
Rookie of the Year Award
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
. While he played the majority of his career at shortstop, he also played
first base
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
,
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
and
left field
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
.
Ramírez established himself as an elite hitter during his prime years,
with a high career
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(.289) and a high
isolated power (.197).
However, he was
rated a poor defensive shortstop, resulting in a move to left field with the Red Sox, where he fared even worse defensively. For the
2016 season, he was switched to the
first base
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
position, a move that yielded good results both offensively and defensively. His hitting declined from 2017 on, as he posted the lowest batting averages and the lowest
OPS
In ancient Roman religion, Ops or ''Opis'' (Latin: "Plenty") was a fertility deity and earth goddess of Sabine origin. Her equivalent in Greek mythology was Rhea.
Iconography
In Ops' statues and coins, she is figured sitting down, as Chthon ...
of his MLB career.
Early life
Ramírez was born in
Samaná,
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, to Toribio and Isabela Ramírez. His father was an auto mechanic. At an early age, Ramírez was an avid baseball fan.
He was also known as a
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player. He attended Adventista High School in Samaná, and attracted the attention of MLB
scouts
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
scout Levy Ochoa signed him to the Red Sox in 2000.
Professional career
Boston Red Sox
Ramírez signed with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
as an international
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in July 2000, at age 16. He played in the
Dominican Summer League
The Dominican Summer League (DSL) is a branch of affiliated Minor League Baseball which is played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985. After the demise of the Venezuelan Summer League after the 2015 season, it is the only L ...
for the
DSL Red Sox
The Dominican Summer League Red Sox, often called the DSL Red Sox, are a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, playing in the foreign Dominican Summer League. The team, classed as a Rookie League franchis ...
in 2001. In 2002, with the
GCL Red Sox
The Florida Complex League Red Sox are a professional baseball team competing in the rookie-level Florida Complex League (FCL) of Minor League Baseball. The team is owned and operated by the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior ...
he hit .340 and was selected as a
Gulf Coast League
The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
and Rookie League All-Star. He also batted .371 in 22 games with the
Class A Short Season
Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (cre ...
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners were a baseball team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. With Major League ...
that year.
Ramírez spent 2003 with the
Class A Augusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina, which opened in April 2018. They previous ...
, batting .275 in 111 games. In 2004, he split time across the GCL Red Sox (batting .400 in 6 games), the
Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Sarasota Red Sox
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...
(.310 in 62 games), and the
Double-A Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red ...
(.310 in 32 games). Ramírez was rated by ''
Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
'' as the number ten prospect in baseball prior to the 2005 season, and with the Sea Dogs that year he was selected as an
Eastern League All-Star while hitting .271 in 122 games.
Ramírez made his MLB debut on September 20, 2005, against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home venu ...
, entering the game as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the seventh inning and then striking out in his first
at bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
in the top of the eighth inning against
Tim Corcoran. Ramírez appeared in only one other game that season, striking out again in one at bat.
Florida/Miami Marlins
2006 season
After the 2005 season, the Red Sox traded Ramírez, along with
Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Alejandro Sánchez Jr. (; born February 27, 1984) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2006 with the Florida Marlins and has also played for the Detroit Tiger ...
,
Jesús Delgado
Jesús Andrés Delgado Corrales (born April 19, 1984) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher and current professional baseball coach in the Texas Rangers organization. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlin ...
, and
Harvey García
Harvey Anderson García Ibarras (born March 16, 1984) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
Professional career
Florida Marlins
Garcia was signed as an amateur free agent by the Florida Marlins in 2000 and after pitching for their Dominican ...
, to the Florida Marlins in exchange for
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time MLB All-Star, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After ...
,
Mike Lowell
Michael Averett Lowell (born February 24, 1974) is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees (1998), Florida Marlins (1999–2005), and the Boston Red Sox (2006&ndas ...
, and
Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Reynoso Mota (born July 25, 1973) is a Dominican former professional baseball relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. In his career, he pitched for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, Cleveland Indians, New Yor ...
. During spring training, Ramírez was impressive enough to earn the starting shortstop job over
Robert Andino
Robert Lazaro Andino (born April 25, 1984) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball infielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Florida/Miami Marlins, and Seattle Mariners.
Baseball career Florida ...
. On April 3, he recorded his first Major League hit in his first at-bat of the season, a single to center field off of
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
pitcher
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt (; born August 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Oswalt played for the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Houston Astros. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Texa ...
. On April 18, he led off the game with his first Major League home run off of
Eric Milton
Eric Robert Milton (born August 4, 1975) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who played for several teams between 1998 and 2009, and is currently the head coach at Severna Park High School.
Amateur career
A na ...
of the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He hit his second home run in the seventh inning of that game against reliever
Mike Burns.
Ramírez led all MLB rookies with 185 hits, 119 runs, 11 triples and 51 stolen bases. He hit seven leadoff home runs, the most in team history for a season and a career. Ramírez's 46
double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* Th ...
s in the 2006 season is the all-time NL record for a shortstop aged 22 or younger. He was the first
NL rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
to post at least 110 runs and at least 50 stolen bases. He became just the fifth big-league player since 1900 to hit at least 45 doubles and steal at least 50 bases, joining
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the las ...
,
Tris Speaker
Tristram Edgar Speaker (April 4, 1888 – December 8, 1958), nicknamed "the Gray Eagle", was an American professional baseball player. Considered one of the greatest players in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), he compiled a career bat ...
,
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio (; born December 14, 1965) is an American former second baseman, outfielder and catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career from 1988 through 2007 for the Houston Astros. A seven-time National League (NL) All ...
, and
Lou Brock
Louis Clark Brock (June 18, 1939September 6, 2020) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He began his 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the 1961 Chicago Cubs but spent most of it as a left fielder for the St. Louis Car ...
. He finished the season as the NL Rookie of the Year Award named by the
Baseball Writers' Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for journalists writing about Major League Baseball for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying websites. The organization was founded in 1908, and is known fo ...
.
2007 season
During his sophomore season, Ramírez picked up where he left off. The ever-improving young star was hitting .331 with 14 home runs and 35 RBIs to go along with 27 steals at the
All-Star break. Despite his numbers, he did not make the All-Star roster.
Marlins manager
Fredi González
Fredi Jesús González (born January 28, 1964) is a Cuban-born American baseball coach, manager and is currently the bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles. He managed the Florida Marlins from 2007 to 2010 and the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 201 ...
experimented with Ramírez in the number three slot in the lineup, batting him ahead of
Mike Jacobs Mike Jacobs may refer to:
*Mike Jacobs (first baseman) (born 1980), American baseball player; first North American in professional sports to be tested positive for HGH
*Mike Jacobs (shortstop) (1877–1949), played for the Chicago Cubs
*Mike Jacobs ...
when injuries hit the Marlins position players. Gonzalez believed Ramírez could be a middle-of-the-lineup player because of his ability to hit for power.
In a game against the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
on July 22, 2007, Ramírez overextended his shoulder when he tried to hit a pitch on the low outside corner off right-hander
Bronson Arroyo
Bronson Anthony Arroyo (born February 24, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and musician. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002, the Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005, th ...
. He was helped off the field and was determined to have suffered a partial dislocation of his left shoulder.
In 154 games Ramírez batted .332 with 29 home runs, 81 RBIs, 125 runs and 51 steals. He fell one home run shy of becoming only the third player in baseball history to hit 30 or more home runs and steal 50 or more bases in the same season. Ramírez led the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
in
VORP
In baseball, value over replacement player (or VORP) is a statistic popularized by Keith Woolner that demonstrates how much a hitter or pitcher contributes to their team in comparison to a replacement-level player who is an average fielder at that ...
.
After the end of the season, Ramírez underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his injured left shoulder.
2008 season
Entering the 2008 season, after the Marlins traded All-Stars
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since his debut in 2003 he has been a two-t ...
and
Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Wayne Willis (born January 12, 1982), nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American former left-handed professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinn ...
to the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, Ramírez was now one of the faces of the franchise. Ramírez contributed well to the Marlins' fast start, earning a spot as the starting shortstop for the
National League All-Star team for the first time in his career. He went 2 for 3 with two singles and a run in the 2008 All-Star Game.
In addition, Ramírez agreed to a six-year, $70 million extension, by far the richest contract in Marlins history.
Ramírez was named
NL Player of the Month in June. He had been batting .298 with six doubles, a triple and ten home runs. He led the NL in home runs, runs scored and total bases.
Ramírez hit his 30th home run of the season on September 13 and joined
Preston Wilson
Preston James Richard Wilson (born July 19, 1974) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played all or parts of ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2007 for the New York Mets, Florida Marlins, Colorado R ...
as the only Marlins to become members of the
30–30 club
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
. He ended the season with 33 home runs and 35 stolen bases. He recorded only 67
RBI, the fewest ever in a 30–30 season.
2009 season
![Hanley Ramirez 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Hanley_Ramirez_01.JPG)
Ramírez played in the
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
for his native
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
prior to the 2009 season.
During the April 6, 2009 regular season opener against the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, Ramírez hit his first career grand-slam off of Washington reliever
Steven Shell
Steven Daniel Shell (born March 10, 1983) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He made his major league debut on June 22, 2008.
Playing career
Played high school ball in Minco and El Reno Oklahoma. His senior year he was named Oklahom ...
.
On July 5, 2009, Ramírez was the NL starting shortstop for the
2009 All-Star Game. On September 6, against the Nationals, Ramírez hit his 100th home run of his MLB career, becoming the fourth quickest shortstop in terms of games played to reach that milestone (
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
,
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra (; born July 23, 1973) is an American retired Major League Baseball player and current SportsNet LA analyst. After playing parts of nine seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played shortstop, third ...
, and
Ernie Banks
Ernest Banks (January 31, 1931 – January 23, 2015), nicknamed "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine", was an American professional baseball player who starred in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs between ...
). With a batting average of .342, Ramírez won his first batting title. He recorded 106 RBIs (sixth in NL), stole 27 bases (fifth in NL), and scored 101 times (eighth in NL). He won the Silver Slugger Award at shortstop, and came in second to
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", ...
for NL MVP.
2010 season
On May 17, 2010, in a home game against the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, Ramírez fouled a ball off his ankle in his first at-bat. He looked as if he was in some pain but remained in the game. He then grounded into a double play to end the inning and ran slowly to first base. The next inning, with runners on first and second, Ramírez failed to catch a bloop fly ball to shallow left field and inadvertently kicked the ball into the left-field corner. He then jogged after the ball as two runs scored and the batter advanced all the way to third base. Manager
Fredi González
Fredi Jesús González (born January 28, 1964) is a Cuban-born American baseball coach, manager and is currently the bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles. He managed the Florida Marlins from 2007 to 2010 and the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 201 ...
removed Ramírez from the game, and a war of words led to Ramírez being benched for the next game. In his first game back against the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
, Ramírez went 3–for-5 with an RBI. About a month later, Gonzalez was fired.
Ramírez was voted in as a starter for the
2010 All Star game for the third year in a row. He was also chosen to participate in the
State Farm
State Farm Insurance is a large group of mutual insurance companies throughout the United States with corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois.
Overview
State Farm is the largest property and casualty insurance provider, and the la ...
Home Run Derby for the first time in his career. In the Derby, he came in second place to
Boston's David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American former designated hitter (DH) and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in the American League (AL) from 1997 to 2016, primarily wit ...
.
Ramírez hit his 25th career leadoff home run on August 7 against the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
, and in the bottom of the 10th inning of the same game, he got his first career walk-off hit, ending a 5-game Marlins losing streak with an RBI double to right-center field.
On September 15 in a game against the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, Ramírez aggravated an injury in his elbow he had sustained earlier in the season while swinging. He attempted to come back and play a week later, but after one game, he was still in pain and was shut down for the rest of the season. He finished 2010 with a .300 batting average, 21 home runs, 76 RBI, 32 steals and 92 runs scored.
2011 season
During the 2011 season, Ramírez performed below his usual level of play. By June 20, Ramírez was hitting just .200 with only 4 home runs and 17 RBI. However, he raised his stats up to .243 with 8 home runs and 37 RBIs by July 9. For the first time in his career, Ramírez hit cleanup. He injured himself after trying to make a diving catch in a game against the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
on August 2, aggravating a shoulder injury that had plagued him in 2010. He missed the rest of 2011 and needed surgery in the off-season. He finished the season having played in only 92 games with a batting average of .243, 10 HR, and 45 RBI. The Marlins, who were 55–55 at the time of the injury, finished 72–90.
2012 season
During the 2011–2012 off-season, the Marlins, during their rebuilding stage, acquired shortstop
José Reyes, who was the reigning
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
batting champ. After the signing, reports circulated that Ramírez was unhappy with being forced to change positions to third base.
After a slow start, Ramírez finished strong in May with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs. On July 13, 2012, Ramírez was dropped from second in the batting order to fifth to start the second half of the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On July 25, 2012, Ramírez was traded to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
with
Randy Choate
Randol Doyle Choate (born September 5, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The New York Yankees selected him in the 1997 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft from Florida State University. Choate made his MLB debut for the Ya ...
in exchange for
Nathan Eovaldi
Nathan Edward Eovaldi ( ; born February 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Ra ...
and minor league pitching prospect
Scott McGough
Scott Thomas McGough (born October 31, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2015. He also played for the Tokyo Yakult Swall ...
. At the time of his trade, Ramírez was batting .246 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs and had recorded 14 stolen bases.
2012 season
Ramírez hit a triple in his first at-bat with the Dodgers, finishing his Dodgers debut 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in a loss to the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
. He hit his first home run for the Dodgers on July 27, winning the first game of a series against the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. In 64 games, he hit .271 with 10 homers and 44 RBI. He had three walk-off hits in 2012, the most in MLB.
2013 season
![Hanley Ramírez on April 20, 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Hanley_Ram%C3%ADrez_on_April_20%2C_2013.jpg)
He played with the
Dominican team during the
2013 World Baseball Classic
The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to March 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009.
Unlike ...
. In the championship game against
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
he injured his hand while diving for a ball. An MRI the next day revealed a torn thumb ligament which would require surgery. The Dodgers announced that he would miss the first two months of the season while recovering, however, he rejoined the Dodgers on April 29, earlier than expected.
In just his third start after returning, Ramírez suffered a hamstring injury while running the bases on May 3 and returned to the disabled list. He eventually rejoined the Dodgers on June 4. His return from the disabled list reignited the Dodgers offense and they started to get hot, which included a 46–10 record from mid-June to mid-August and they went from last place to winning the
National League West
The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed for the 1969 season when the National League expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a re ...
. Ramírez, in just 86 games, hit .345 with 20 home runs and 57 RBI and reached the playoffs for the first time in his career.
[
In the ]2013 National League Division Series
The 2013 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the baseball teams to participate in the 2013 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1-3 based on record) and a fourth te ...
against the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, Ramírez went 8 for 16 with six extra-base hits, tying a franchise postseason record.[ In Game 1 of the ]2013 National League Championship Series
The 2013 National League Championship Series, the 44th NLCS, was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the St. Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers for Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The Cardinals beat the Dodgers in six ...
, Ramírez was hit by a fastball on a 1-2 count in the first inning, fracturing two ribs and taking him out of the series, which the Dodgers lost in six games.
2014 season
In the last year of his contract, Ramírez dealt with several injuries throughout the season. He finished the regular season hitting .283 with 13 home runs and 71 RBI in 128 games. On August 2, Ramírez hit his first career walk-off home run off of the Cubs' Blake Parker
Richard Blake Parker (born June 19, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Ange ...
in the 12th inning. He became a free agent after the season, although the Dodgers did extend a qualifying offer to him.
In the latter half of his career, Ramírez gained a reputation as a defensive liability at shortstop. He cost starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed starting p ...
a perfect game on June 18 by committing a throwing error in the top of the seventh inning. After the error, manager Don Mattingly replaced Ramírez with SS Carlos Triunfel
Carlos Manuel Triunfel Marquez (born February 27, 1990) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Professional career Seattle Mariners
...
for defensive purposes.
Return to the Boston Red Sox
On November 25, 2014, Ramírez signed a four-year, $88 million deal with a fifth year vesting option worth $22 million to return to the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. They announced plans to play him in left field
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
, even though he had only previously played shortstop and third base in his career.
2015 season
On Opening Day of the 2015 season, in his first game with Boston in almost 10 years, Ramírez played left field for the first time in his career and hit two home runs (one of them a broken-bat grand slam[) for a total of 5 RBI as the Red Sox routed the ]Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
8–0. On April 29, Ramírez hit his 10th home run of the season, joining teammate David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American former designated hitter (DH) and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in the American League (AL) from 1997 to 2016, primarily wit ...
as the only players in Red Sox history to hit 10 home runs in the month of April. However, a few days later on May 4, Ramírez left the game against the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
in the top of the first inning after crashing into the left field wall at Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...
. The team announced shortly after that he had suffered a left shoulder sprain.
Ramírez ended the 2015 season with a .249 batting average and 19 home runs in 401 at-bats, while his defense in left field was rated as the worst in the American League. As a result, on September 1 the Red Sox announced Ramírez would not play left field for the remainder of the season. The Red Sox also announced then that Ramírez would again change positions in 2016 to become their starting first baseman, another position that Ramírez had never played before.
2016 season
Ramírez reported early to 2016 spring training with the Red Sox and dismissed his impending positional switch to first base as nothing hard. Once the season began, the transition was well received by the press and clubhouse, with praise going to his improved defense and greater comfort in the infield.
On July 20, 2016, Ramírez belted three two-run home runs in Boston's 11–7 interleague play
Interleague play in Major League Baseball refers to regular-season baseball games played between an American League (AL) team and a National League (NL) team. Interleague play was first introduced during the 1997 Major League Baseball season. Pr ...
victory against the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...
. Then on August 12, he hit a pair of three-run home runs as the Red Sox beat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, 9–4, in an interleague game. It was his 20th career multi-homer game, while his six runs batted in matched a career high.
On September 15, 2016, in perhaps the most memorable at-bat of his season, Ramírez hit a walk off three-run home run to stun the Yankees and complete a thrilling comeback victory. The win would help catapult the Red Sox to an eleven-game win streak and eventually the 2016 AL Eastern Division title.
On October 2, 2016, Ramírez hit his 30th home run of the season. Ramírez, Mookie Betts
Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts (born October 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Boston Red Sox. In 2018, while with the Red Sox, he became ...
and David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American former designated hitter (DH) and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in the American League (AL) from 1997 to 2016, primarily wit ...
became the first trio in Red Sox history with 30 home runs and more than 100 RBIs in the same season. Ramírez would finish the season with a .286 batting average and 111 RBI, a new career high.
2017 season
With the retirement of David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American former designated hitter (DH) and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in the American League (AL) from 1997 to 2016, primarily wit ...
and the offseason addition of first baseman Mitch Moreland
Mitchell Austin Moreland (born September 6, 1985), nicknamed "2-Bags", is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres ...
, Ramírez took on the role of designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
for the Red Sox. He had his lowest major league batting average as part of a .242/.320/.429 slash line
S sabermetrics
:Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. The term is derived from the SABR – the Society for American Baseball Research. The term was coined by Bill James, an e ...
, with 23 home runs, 62 RBI, and just one stolen base (the lowest total of his career) while playing only 18 games in the field, all at first base). In the postseason, Ramírez batted 8-for-14 (.571) in the 2017 ALDS as the Red Sox lost to the eventual World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
champions, the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
.
2018 season
In 2018, Ramírez batted .330 for the month of April, but struggled in May, batting .163. On May 25, Ramírez was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
by the Red Sox as the team activated Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Luis Pedroia (born August 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played his entire Major League Baseball career for the Boston Red Sox, from 2006 to 2019. He was a four-time All-Star, and won the Americ ...
from the disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
. He was released on May 30. In 2018, he had a career-low 177 at bats, in which he batted .254/.313/.395 with a career-low .708 OPS.
Overall, in Ramírez's second stint with the Red Sox (2015–18), he batted .260 with 78 home runs and 255 RBIs in 429 games. His salary in 2018 was $22 million.
Cleveland Indians
On February 26, 2019, Ramírez signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
, which included an invitation to the team's 2019 major league spring training camp. The Indians purchased Ramírez's contract on March 28. In 16 games with Cleveland, Ramírez batted 9-for-49 (.184) with two home runs and eight RBIs, and had the slowest average home run trot of all major league players for the season, at 29.2 seconds. The Indians designated Ramírez for assignment on April 20. After clearing waivers, Ramírez elected free agency on April 22, 2019.
Personal life
Ramírez and his wife, Sanoe (Elisabeth), have three children. Ramírez enjoys reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
music and DJing
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio
Music radio is a radio format in which music is the main broadcast con ...
, as well as listening to merengue and bachata
Bachata may refer to:
* Bachata (music), a genre of Latin American music
**Traditional bachata, a subgenre of bachata music
* Bachata (dance), a dance style from the Dominican Republic
* Bachatón, a hybrid bachata/reggaeton music style
* "Bachata ...
music.
He maintains a close friendship with former teammate and fellow Dominican David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American former designated hitter (DH) and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in the American League (AL) from 1997 to 2016, primarily wit ...
.
In June 2018, shortly after his release by the Red Sox, Ramírez was briefly reported to have a possible connection with a federal and state investigation into a drug ring based out of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and Nort ...
. Within days, it was clarified that Ramírez was not linked to the investigation and that a person arrested in the case had used his name "to get the cops off his back, which didn't work."
In April 2019, Ramírez became a naturalized United States citizen
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
.
See also
* List of Dominican Americans
This is a list of notable Dominican Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Dominica ...
* List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
Major League Baseball recognizes runs scored leaders in the American League and National League each season. In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching ...
* List of Major League Baseball batting champions
In baseball, batting average (AVG) is a measure of a batter's success rate in achieving a hit during an at bat. In Major League Baseball (MLB), it is calculated by dividing a player's hits by his at bats (AB). In MLB, a player in each league wins ...
* List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
Listed are all Major League Baseball (MLB) players with 1,000 or more career runs scored. Players in bold face are active as of the 2022 Major League Baseball season.
Key
List
*Stats updated through the 2022 season.
Through the end of the ...
* List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs.
In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
*
* List of Miami Marlins team records
The Miami Marlins are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in the U.S. state of Florida. The Marlins became members of MLB as an expansion team in the 1993 season. Through 2017, they have played 3,981 games, winning 1,870 and losin ...
* Miami Marlins award winners and league leaders
References
Further reading
*
External links
, o
Retrosheet
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramirez, Hanley
1983 births
Living people
American sportspeople of Dominican Republic descent
Augusta GreenJackets players
Boston Red Sox players
Cleveland Indians players
Dominican Republic emigrants to the United States
Dominican Summer League Red Sox players
Florida Marlins players
Gulf Coast Red Sox players
Jupiter Hammerheads players
Lowell Spinners players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball designated hitters
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball left fielders
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
Major League Baseball shortstops
Major League Baseball third basemen
Miami Marlins players
National League All-Stars
National League batting champions
Naturalized citizens of the United States
Portland Sea Dogs players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Sarasota Red Sox players
Silver Slugger Award winners
Tigres del Licey players
World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic
2009 World Baseball Classic players
2013 World Baseball Classic players
People from Samaná Province