The Orioles have had talks with the Rays pertaining to right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, whom Baltimore would deploy as a starter, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link). Baltimore has already seen one of its top rotation targets, Andrew Cashner, come off the board with this morning’s reported agreement of a Padres/Marlins trade, so executive vice president/general manager Dan Duquette will have to look elsewhere for his rotation needs.
Ramirez, 26, has been a swingman for much of his career, making 63 starts and 58 relief appearances in parts of five seasons split between the Mariners and Rays. Tampa Bay has used him almost exclusively as a multi-inning reliever this year, but he also made 27 starts for the Rays with mostly positive results in 2015. All told, Ramirez has pitched quite well with the Rays since being acquired in exchange for Mike Montgomery prior to the 2015 campaign. He’s posted a 3.79 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and roughly a 49 percent ground-ball rate in 223 1/3 innings between manager Kevin Cash’s rotation and bullpen. He’s earning $2.375MM as a Super Two player this season and will be arbitration eligible thrice more before hitting the open market upon completion of the 2019 campaign.
Ramirez averaged about 5 2/3 innings per start last year, though that was in part due to the fact that he opened the season in the ’pen and had a short leash early on as he stretched out and transitioned to the rotation. In the season’s second half, he averaged six innings per start, and his opponents’ batting line when facing hitters for a third time in a game (.246/.307/.373) were strikingly similar to the line posted when facing a hitter for the first time in a start (.267/.313/.387). That would suggest that he’s at least capable of returning to a starting role, though Ramirez hasn’t pitched more than 2 2/3 innings in a single appearance since tossing 5 2/3 frames in a spot start back on April 16.
Outside of Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman, the Orioles have gotten scant production from their rotation. Ubaldo Jimenez, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Vance Worley and Dylan Bundy have combined for a 5.87 ERA this season, and while Bundy has looked promising, his innings will need to be severely limited; the former top prospect has had the early portion of his career derailed by arm injuries and threw just 67 professional innings from 2012-15. He’s up to 52 innings in 2016, so it’s worth wondering how much longer Baltimore will rely on him as a starter after shifting him into that role out of necessity earlier this month.
Wow, the O’s are desperate for sure.
Considering their 3-5 starters are averaging almost 6 ERA, I’d imagine so. Too bad they don’t have much of a farm to deal from…
Based on what metrics? Worley 3.09, Bundy 3.46, Gausman 3.77. Those are their 3-5 starters. Their alleged number 2 Gallardo is 5.37 which is still not almost 6 and has been much better of late after a horrid start before going on the DL..
Ramirez can be a very reasonable option. I don’t think his asking price is as high as the TB rotation guys. A trade like this one wouldn’t hurt the farm system.
You think the Rays will give away a cheap and controllable piece for a meh spect after Pomeranz (who’s been better this year, but historically far less effective) nets a top 20 and has a year less control? Don’t see that happening. I’d expect the Rays wouldn’t deal him unless its for something similar – which don’t believe the O’s possess outside of their current roster, which i doubt they’d deal from…
As a fellow Rays fan I just don’t see Erasmo having the same value as pomeranz. We’re not going to net a top 20 or even 50 prospect for him. Look at the Mike Montgomery trade to the Cubs. Expect something similar to that. Now having said all that I’d love to try to turn Erasmo into chance sisco….
Lol you guys would love Chance Cisco, we would hate losing him. You can have Trey Mancini and some other guy instead.
Mancini is having a great season. How about Christian Walker instead? Haha
I think if you want Mancini or Walker you better be putting Matt Moore in the trade.. for Erasma Ramierz I would just give you AA player and that it. !
That is a fair point. It is just crazy that a team can have this good of a record with such poor pitching that they go after a guy that got demoted from the rotation. Crazy year for the pitchers market.
Is there a website that allows people to view how many options a player has left (or has used)?
Not sure about the site but I am pretty sure Ramirez is out of options that is why he was dealt. I always liked him thought he had some potential just needed to develop it. Another rush job by Seattle. Had a great ST so went from AA to the majors and did OK but probably could have used some AAA time. Once the league had enough film he struggled a bit. Then bounced up and down.
This wouldn’t be my first choice of pitcher to target but I think this could work good for the O’s. Ramirez is controllable for a few more years, he came flip between bullpen and rotation if needed, and he is already used to the hitters in the AL East.
With a limited farm, Orioles could grab rotation talent by trading trading away someone from their MLB team, but who’s expandable?
The Orioles don’t have enough to get him from a in division rival. If I am the Rays I make Baltimore over pay for him on general principle.
If you are a smart GM you take the best deal offered. You don’t cut off your nose to spite your face and take a deal that will help you less in the future to stay out of the division for trades.