10:34am: The Red Sox have formally announced the move via press release. Pedroia has been officially activated from the DL.
10:13am: In a surprising move, the Red Sox will designate first baseman/designated hitter Hanley Ramirez for assignment today in order to clear a spot on the roster for Dustin Pedroia‘s activation from the disabled list, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.
Though the move is jarring considering the fact that Ramirez opened the season as Boston’s No. 3 hitter and showed quite well early on, he’s gone cold as of late and places some complicated financial constraints on the team. Ramirez’s contract contains a $22MM mutual option that would vest if he accumulated even 497 plate appearances this season, as MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently examined at greater length, and the organization surely doesn’t want that lofty salary to lock in. Keeping Ramirez on the roster but attempting to organically suppress his playing time would’ve been awkward and could have potentially even led to a grievance on his behalf if he felt the team’s motivation for keeping him out of the lineup were purely financial in nature. By cutting ties with him, albeit in surprising and abrupt fashion, the Sox spare themselves that difficult situation.
Still, such a move would’ve been virtually unthinkable not even four weeks ago. Ramirez looked resurgent early in the season, absolutely raking his way through April by hitting at a .330/.400/.474 clip as he distanced himself from last year’s shoulder woes in emphatic fashion. However, Ramirez’s bat has gone ice cold in recent weeks; he’s currently in an 0-for-21 freefall at the plate and, since the calendar flipped to May, has delivered a putrid .163/.200/.300 slash that has largely counteracted his terrific April. By measure of OPS+ (88) and wRC+ (90), his overall offensive output on the season now rates decidedly worse than that of a league-average hitter.
As with any player who has been designated for assignment, the Red Sox will have a week to trade Ramirez, place him on outright waivers or release him. Given the remaining $15.17MM on this year’s $22MM salary and that easily attainable vesting option, it’s all but certain that Ramirez will be released rather than sent elsewhere. At that point, he’d be free to sign a new contract with a new club that would only owe him the pro-rated league minimum and wouldn’t need to worry about the vesting provision in his prior agreement in Boston.
Looking ahead, the stunning decision to move on from Ramirez should lock J.D. Martinez in as Boston’s primary designated hitter and give Mitch Moreland and his superior glove regular reps at first base. The move also prolongs Blake Swihart‘s purgatorial stay in Boston, though perhaps by jettisoning Ramirez from the roster, the Sox will open up a few more opportunities to work the scarcely used former top prospect into the lineup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
What the…
Think they might resign him?
Hopefully
wow
WTF?
Mets are going to sign him as soon as he clears waivers lol
I wouldn’t be surprised
Mickey- JUST GREAT ANOTHER FRINGE 1B CANDIDATE! NOT LIKE WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH OF THOSE ALREADY
Yeah the Mets are gonna pick him up.
Sandy wants to move him back to short stop (lol).
Prediction: his ice cold bat continues. He’s like Jose Bautista—can only turn on a pitch down in the strike zone in the middle of the plate.
Hanley can play 3rd for them! No kidding, til Wtight comes back
And another worthless addition from you
Question. If a team plays him full time after assuming he clears waivers, what happens to next year’s vesting option?
Once released and he signs a new contract, the option becomes void
Thank you.
I’d even mention the Mariners as a possibility as well once
Cleats waivers
That’d be amazing. He could play the infield if needed. Maybe even 2B. HanRam was a SS after all.
No, just no. 1B is a stretch for someone of his defensive shortcomings, and no one would even think of putting him at 2b.
You are kidding right? It’s pushing the limit to even have him at 1B!
I would have thought that too, but then I saw that Pablo Sandoval has been playing 2nd base for SF. So …..
Wow
Why?
another great FA signing by DD
Fact check yourself next time. DD didn’t sign him. He was signed by Cherington.
Exactly.
Cherington by signed was he
Is that you Mr Tolkien?
He was doing Yoda
DONT LET FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF MY ARGUMENT!!!!
lol epic fail dunce.
Terrible troll attempt
He was describing his life.
Big guy DD didt sign him… Cherrington did both the hanram and Sandoval deals
Larry Luchinno if you want to get technical. They kind of used cherington as a puppet for the years between Theo and DD.
Holy crap!! No way!
wow….
?
Smart move. Take the L and move on. Now they don’t have to worry about next years salary
Then why pay anyone if your worried about next years salary
Normally you’re not. But Hanley is bad and his 2019 salary wasn’t guaranteed but it had a realistic chance to become guaranteed
Who’s to say he wouldn’t have gone down with another BS injury tho? This is Hanley Ramirez we’re talking about here lol
You’re correct but unfortunately with baseball’s guaranteed salaries that is the chance you have to take. Over pay for the declining years. (Pujols) win now mentality and guaranteed salaries is good work if you can get it.
Even Pujols is producing more than Hanley! LoL
OH NO BABY WHAT IS YOU DOING??
lol…great post
If Hanley’s option vests (while playing for another team), then who pays for the 2019 salary? The Red Sox or the new team?
It will be a different contract if he clears waivers. If he’s claimed (very doubtful) then the team that claims him assumes all aspects of the contract, including the mutual option. So in short, it’s very unlikely that the next time he plays in 2018 he will even have that option on the table because he’ll be playing under a new contract.
I see. That makes sense. Ty.
It would be voided when he signed a new contract !
That’s one way to keep an option from vesting.
I knew BOS would have to address that vesting option at some point this year, but I have to give the FO props for eating that contract and cutting him loose before it became a distraction/sideshow.
Really???
Wow, I know he’s been slumping but never expected the Sox to drop HanRam like that
Yeah can anyone really say this guy has been worth his pay the last three years? Not!
Yea, he had one season where he played like his contract in 2016, but still, this was a a move I don’t think a lot of people saw coming.
I’m a Yankees fan and I’m shocked by this. He kills us on the regular.
He’s 100% going to the Mets as they assemble their 2013 All star team
Lol
watch…. he had success in LA… i wouldn’t be surprised if he landed there…. just saying…
Negative
They’d only use him as a bench bat and to spell Bellinger occasionally. I don’t think the Dodgers’ brass would risk bringing in Ramirez (even at league minimum) since he has the potential of poisoning the Clubhouse.
LA could use him at Short if he can still still play that position.
Hanley cannot and has not been able to play SS in years, have you seen him play at all in BOS?
He can barely play 1st. He was a below average SS which is why he was transitioned. There’s no chance especially with the shoulder issues.
Dodgers lost shortstop for the year. Bellinger has been planned a lot of Centerfield and a bench player batting .230 is playing at first. The last few games they have been winning it’s due to the pitching not the hitting. I think they will take a chance on him it beats sending a lot of prospects to Baltimore for a rental
That’s an odd move.
File this under C for Curveball.
Wow!!!!
BOMBSHELL TONIGHT!
Difference between the Red Sox and Blue Jays. RS are willing to cut dead weight contracts (e.g. Sandoval, Ramirez). Blue Jays are not (e.g. Morales)
Correct. Mark Shapiro doesn’t eat contracts under any circumstance, and neither do his protégés (Huntington, Antonetti).
Translation, not everybody has the deep pockets Boston has and can get out of a bad contract without blinking instead having to pay the salary and hope he eventually produces.
Get out of what bad contract? You still pay your players after you’ve cut them.
The Sox will be off the hook for Ramirez’ remaining 2018 salary if they can pull off a trade in the next several days. They may still have to eat some of it if those are the terms of the trade. The 2019 vesting option would not transfer to the receiving team, as it only pertained to number of plate appearances in a Red Sox uniform. If no one bites on a trade, Boston still has to pay about 13 million left on his 2018 contract.
Getting out of a bad contract to me means the Sox avoided Hanley’s 2019 vesting option that would have paid him a 22 million salary in 2019. That option is now void no matter what happens. He’s off the books after this season.
Jays have cut their losses in the past/taken on salary. Frank Thomas was released with contract remaining, Jays basically took on the Fransisco Liriano contract to get a couple prospects…this narrative of the Jays FO being overly cheap is lazy and just not true. Most free agent signings don’t work out for the team…it’s not exciting but it’s avoiding bad contracts.
Building winning teams is hard
Surprised they dfa’d him, because he’s a decent hitter. but he doesn’t hit enough to dh and can’t play good enough defense to make his bat worth playing. He also was below replacement last year, and is right around replacement level this year.
May still try to deal him for a lower level player in a waiver swap. Someone they can shove in the minors
Probably to the Mets as others are saying for a pair of shoes Harvey left behind. The Sox will be paying the freight and someone will take a shot so expect a trade. Probably to the Mets or maybe Seattle.
Can’t see a team taking a chance to let his option vest. He will be released. Rays maybe. I know they may start selling soon but with the try to compete as well mentality maybe they sign him to see if he can surge back and mentor some youth. Plus he gets an opportunity to stick it to Boston towards the end of the season. Baltimore for this reason as well. I can see him pick it back up with another team to try and go after one more decent paycheck.
Nobody will trade for him with a vesting option. He will be released but somebody will give him a chance once they know the vesting option is gone.
Anything they’d get would be a bonus even if it was a low end pitcher who just had TJ surgery. BOS will have to pay his entire 2018 salary no matter what, but the receiving team would assume full responsibility for the vesting option which I don’t see any team doing. Nobody will touch him until he clears waivers.
If a team claims him off waivers they would assume the remaining of 2018’s salary and the possibility of 2019’s vesting option.
If no team claims him, and he is signed by another team Boston is on the hook for the difference between what he signed for and what he has remaining on his original deal.
GOOD!!!!!!!!!!
hes going to the rangers
John Daniels is trying to put together a good team to make a run at the 2011 play offs
Hoping for a time machine so he can get a do-over on Game 6.
I think that this is a smart move, if that option vests, then they would have been very limited in the off-season. This way they can do a better job of planning for the future. It was not a good contract to begin with, so cutting the losses made sense.
So you dump Ramirez over Swihart, Elias, Walden, Wright, Scott and Workman (as well as all the guys who could’ve been moved to the disabled list)?
I do not see the logic in this. Hanley hasnt been great but he wasnt hurting the team.
Elias is on the Mariners.
They had 22 million reasons to dump Hanley
Ramirez was DFA’d to clear a spot on the 25-man roster, not the 40-man roster. As Pedroia was only on the 10-day DL, he already had a spot on the 40-man roster.
Walden, Workman and Scott were not on the 25-man roster. Elias is no longer part of the Sox organization. But yes, the expectation around the world was Swihart would be DFA’d..
They don’t have to DFA Swihart they can move Nunez to the 10 day DL for his knee. They still have Holt and Lin @ AAA. Swihart is here now for a while as a 1 B and LF back-up role.
I’m sure Bradfo will have a definitive answer re. who pays if Han-Ram qualifies his contract. DD and the attorney’s know what they are doing.
Holt has been up all year
It’s all about next year’s option. Sox, rightfully, didn’t wanna pay $22 million next season for an average bat. This way Hanley gets paid this year, plus there’s time for him to sign on with someone else and earn a deal next winter. As a Yankee fan, I’m definitely happy to see Hanley out of the Red Sox lineup though
Because if they didn’t dumb him they would be stuck with him and 22m next season. Now they just completely cleared that to make a run at a big name
It’s all about the MONEY!
I️ see I’m not the only one surprised by this
No matter whether you think that this is a good move or not, it certainly is a gutsy one.
Hanley has a .739 OPS over his last 748 PA’s, that’s not enough from 1B. Dude is washed up and is hurting a 1st place team. It’s really smart and obvious, not gutsy.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHA
Like the Yanks haven’t given out a contract that hasn’t worked out, lol.
Yankeeography: Jacoby Ellsbury does not exist.
Well that one came outta left field……..
Actually he plays first base
“I’m not asking ya who’s on first, who’s on second??!!??”
No, he plays first and DH. (ba dum ching)
Hanley himself came outta left field when the Red Sox found how piss poor he is at manning the position in 2015…
Why he’s the power source with Martinez and Moreland and why did they do That stupid move
i believe betts has 16 hrs, so i think they should be fine without him
By Slugging%:
Mookie (751)
JD (645)
Mitch (612)
Xander (519)
Holt (486)
Benintendi (463)
Devers (430)
– Hanley (395) –
Nunez (370)
He’s not a power source for the club
What’s stupid is you ignoring Moreland’s 1.000 OPS lol
What?????
It isn’t April 1st is it?
Hes way better then Kendreys Morales, jays should claim him when he clears and Dfa Morales if they get Hanley. View it as they r paying Morales salary for Hanley
Why do you want another bad bat at DH? If the bar is “better then Morales”, you may as well just call up Vladdy. Or any other minor leaguer in the system. Hell, even Happ has shown more at the plate.
Yes, we would all prefer Vlad. But if they aren’t ready to do that (which I get), Hanley is an upgrade, even as a league average bat. Same age, more offensive upside, more defensive viability. I haven’t watched Hanley on the bases recently, but it is literally not possible to be slower or worse on the bases than Kendrys.
See Victor Martinez.
Morales is absolutely garbage in every aspect of he game at best he is a 250/300/420 switch hitter with 25-30 homers at worst Hanley is a 235/300/400 RHB with 20+ homers he is by no means a speedster or a league average glove but he is far and away faster and a better defender and not that you would want to but he could play more then 1st/Dh.
As far as Vladimir Jr. goes unless the jays are in the playoffs it makes no sense for him to be anything other then a September call-up. He should be in AAA within 30 days in my opinion and the AAA team has a chance to plays post season ball and the AA team is leading there division and not by a couple games. What’s best for Vlad is the play winning ball, he won the A-ball championship last year (although the final 2 teams were called co-champs do to a hurricane i believe) and playing AA or AAA play off games is far and away better then playing 25 games or so with the jays and being in a somber losing locker room to start his MLB career.
Johnny Murphy St.john’s Newfoundland Canada
what does that last line mean?
terrible idea
Do you guys think he could still handle 3rd for the Braves?
Is this a joke?
While funny, it pitifully does need to be taken as a serious question for obvious reasons
No, he has not played the position for years. He is limited in his range and doesn’t have enough bat to make up for it. I think we stand pat and bring Riley up in early Aug if he is still playing well to give the position a boost, depending where we are at in the standings by then. If we are out of it, he comes up in Sep.
Well that’s what I thought, but we could pick him up as a good league minimum pinch hitter and at 3B if Riley isn’t ready and Camargo slumps…
Can’t possibly be worse than Jose
Absolutely. Unless you are a Braves’ fan.
I’d rather take a flier on Headley if he’s still out there. At least his glove would hold up if he struggles at the plate.
Oh god…hell no
Between Sandoval and Ramirez, how much WAR did BOS get for $200M?
bWar they got -0.7
Um ok. Is Pedroia even valuable at all anymore to the Red Sox? So they get rid of Hanley for him? Im not following this. Is there a back story we are not hearing about yet?
Vesting option, Hanley’s bad offensively and defensively…
He’s not bad offensively that’s ridiculous. Defensively yes.
He had a 93 OPS plus last year and it’s 88 this year. And his only job is to hit. So yes, he is bad offensively
But he’s such a pleasure in the clubhouse. Especially when they stop giving him AB’s and he realizes that they are not letting him reach the AB’s for his vesting option.
Then he’s like a cancer. Negative and spreads quickly.
He has a .739 OPS over his last 750 PA, he absolutely is terrible offensively and you are ridiculously wrong.
Blah blah more mike nonsense …shouldn’t you be sniffing judges jock strap
its pedroia….
Exactly. And he’s overrated
And it’s not 2013 anymore
Pedroia had a 6 WAR year in 2016, calm down he’s not overrated at all.
Go look at Pedroias numbers defensively and offensively the last few seasons. All while being injured. The HR’s will Prlynever return, but he will still be a top defender that hits over .300. If that’s not value then nothing is valuable. Hanley was fine at first, and he goes on streaks of crushing the ball, but he also goes ice cold and starts to get a little pouty when he does. His option was going to vest if he stayed and he is not a $22MM/Year player.
Basically don’t disagree with your comments regarding Pedroia and Hanley, however, Little Petey has a penchant for getting hurt and that’s not going to change longer term only get ore frequent.
Little Petey’s range has shrunk precipitously. He will dove and get dirty, however what are the chances that he hasn’t lost an additional half step. So he will have a cheat space to compensate. BTW he is a good cheater, with his successful Apple Watch campaign that he was busted in.
Why are you calling a grownass 34 year old man “Little Petey”? Sounds like a great way to get socked in the mouth.
Don’t feed the troll
Haha!
mikeyank55, after reading some of your posts, may I suggest you consider an anger management class ? It might get rid of some of your obvious pent up rage. There are also excellent meds available.
Next year’s vesting option and the clubhouse concern if he was benched. His attitude potentially could have been a cancer. At least management made a decision before anything could happen.
BOS is on the hook through 2021 with Pedroia’s contract, but only through 2018 with Ramirez. Red Sox would have to eat about $40M if they DFAd Pedroia and only $15+M by cutting Ramirez loose.
Never a consideration to DFA Pedie who now with Betts is still the heart/soul of the team. Must be a troll comment.
If you have been paying attention, 2nd base d has been very suspect lately…. Pedroia may not be gold glove anymore.. but he is very close!
2nd base is suspect because the guy signed that was hailed as a “terrific signing” in Nunez basically is a very average at best offensive and defensive player…..certainly not the player the Sox thought he was with that late season audition last year.
That’s why the Yankees cut him loose…..too streaky, 10 cent head in critical situations, and a penchant for blowing it big time more ofter than not.
Pedroia’s value is somewhat overstated by his value to the Sox. and the legend created by the game announcer Buck….not gold glove any longer and considered a “gamer” due to his experience not his play.
He’s not very close to a gold glove. More like a bronze glove on his way to a copper glove.
Defensive WAR says: you are wrong and possible dumb
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8370&posit…
Gotta love biased fools!
Once again, this is a troll .. he’s on almost every Sox post spewing garbage.
He’s just scared because the Red Sox got even better today. It’s sad to see Hanley leave, but this move makes a lot of sense.
Can he still play 3rd, ss, and 2nd if he can someone will get some real cheap rbi’s. Too bad they can’t let Rusney go some other place to play but at least he gets his millions btw is Tomas doing anything either lol Maybe they all can go to Baltimore and turn their season around lol.
Seattle would seem like a logical fit, but Cruz is their full time DH and they already have Werth in the late career, let’s hope he has a little more than fumes in the tank department. I think he’s more likely to land on a team that is poised to sell off veterans and start rebuilding like KC or TEX or maybe even MIA if they trade Bour.
Didn’t see this coming.
So now the Red sox are tanking so should the players union investigate them also?
How is this tanking? Ramirez was in the middle of a horrible month, played below average defense and had the potential to be a cancer in the club house.
On the flip side you have another 1B who is hitting, and plays gold glove caliber defense. Who by all accounts is a great clubhouse guy (regardless if he’s playing or not)
As of this moment, the Red Sox have the most wins this season of any team in MLB. We’re more than a quarter of the way through the season. They’re going to eat a lot of money to DFA a player who simply isn’t giving value on the contract he signed. I have ZERO idea how you can claim that a team with those accolades at the moment is tanking…
lmao “tanking” while in first place, lmao, please dont post anymore ray
What? You are joking right? Tanking for first place ?
An interesting and bold move; he’s a sunk cost and they don’t want him to be that anymore. Because of the option I doubt any team takes him on as a starter but he is still a useful bat and can stand around at a bunch of positions. The Red Sox are a smart team and while this wasn’t the smartest signing releasing him now is a smart move. He’s a better player than, say, Albert Pujols but the angels probably aren’t a great destination (because they can’t bench Pujols). I could see him ending up in Seattle, though.
Maybe the Rockies can give the Sox a bag of baseballs and a can of chew for him. Would beat watching Desmond continue to flounder.
Wait a few days. No need to trade for him and take on his contract. He isn’t going to get claimed off waivers.
Why is ANYBODY actually surprised by this? Hanley Ramirez has been pretty terrible in Boston for the life of the deal so far, and this year has been no exception since the start of May. This move makes a ton of sense.
I am not a Redsox fan and obviously I don’t get this move. You don’t DFA a proving hitter just because he is 0-21. As far how much money he is making sure it’s a lot of money but the typically don’t have any sort of money problem. Ones he clear waiver the Braves should try to sign him. He is a much better hitter then Charlie Culberson. Hanley Ramirez can play at 3rd base until Austin Rilly is ready. Beside Henley can play at SS and give Dansby Swanson a day off.And at worst case he can PH.
Hanley cannot play SS any more. That ship has sailed. And really, even when he did play SS, he wasn’t very good…
He’s been a pretty below average hitter and a terrible defender.
I think if we could sign him on a minor league deal he’d be great. If Camargo cools off and Riley isn’t ready he can take 3rd or maybe freeman at 3rd and ramirez at first. If he can’t handle it he’s a league minimum pinch hitter with good history.
1. He’s actually a bad hitter at this point. The most you can argue is that he’s average. He had one hot streak in April, it doesn’t prove that he’s back.
2. He CANNOT play 3B, SS, or any position other than 1B with any level of competence.
3. Hanley sucks (did I already sort of say that?)
Jerry dipoto!?!?! Pick up the phone bro
And put him where? That’s not a fit at all.
1B. Healey/rameriez
The Mariners are hard pressed to keep a 1B platoon going given their injuries and roster. Many found it unusual that Vogelbach got recalled recently over other options, and I expect he will be sent down soon. No way Ramirez would fit on their bench. They need players with defensive versatility.
Wondering if Ramirez’s shoulders were reinjured. Player doesn’t say anything cause he needs the ABs but hurts the team by not performing and the team does not want to be on the hook for another $22M. It was a precipitous drop in production from April which makes you think something happened. Not sure if this move was too premature as they had time to see if he would improve. They could have sent Devers down to AAA (play Holt/Swihart) or place Nunez on DL in the interim and that way they would have kept Ram, Nunez, Swihart, Devers, etc. in the organization. Overall we wished the April production was going to guarantee a great year and protection for JD; however, Ramirez has not been worth the contract and was another bad signing (Sandoval) by Bumbling Ben. I’m sure Cora is very upset that “his guy” got DFA’d, but that is part of the business – produce or be gone.
I love Hanley, idc what anyone says. I’m a little shocked, but not completely. That $22MM would really suck to be stuck with. But I’m just disgusted that we continue to keep Swihart. Let him go or let him at least try and play.
In theory this could open up more DH time for Swihart (when they want JBJ’s bat out of the line up)
The only way they’ll get anything remotely good for Swihart is if they let him play. And since Cora has said he won’t catch. Maybe putting him in as DH can show other teams he can actually hit.
Goodbye!
Without Ortiz to push him he is mediocre at best.
So tired of this comment. You clearly don’t watch Red Sox games. His attitude has been great the moment he put on a Boston Jersey. With and without Ortiz.
Hanley needs a push.
Love Hanley. Yes he was streaky but he was a great presence in the team and great with fans. He will be missed. Really shocked by this move.
He would be a good pick up for the Angels. Won’t cost much the rest of this year. Would hit 5th or 6th depending on if Ohtani is in the lineup. Better option than Kinsler is right now. Then DFA Chris Young.
can he play 2nd???
Braun for HanRam + $$
He can not. Braun is still an able player.
Hope Hanley gets employed by another team, but the Red Sox are likely to get stuck paying for him to play on a different team, just like the Sandoval deal.
That’s what happens when u hire a player for too long a time. Of course they are gonna save money by firing him if I was Hanley I would demand an investigation from the players union.
Four years isn’t really all that long of a time.
He got fired because he was bad at baseball.. If he was good at baseball, the Red Sox would have been happy to continue paying him.
He already hit seven or eight home runs I mean come on what more do u want that’s more then Adrien Gonzalez
How the mighty have fallen although Hanley Ramirez has been on a slippery slope for some time now.
He will reunite with the marlins. Platoon at 1st base.
Mariners
Another bad at the end contract.
Would Houston replace Gattis for league minimum?
As a yankees fan it kinda sucks because this is clearly to make sure that cap hit is gone for next season to make a potential run at Machado or Harper. I know they have a great ss already but that won’t stop a run at him. Great move on Boston behalf dfa Hanley won’t hurt them at all considering his war is a measly.1
I think DD is more interested in finding a way to extend Betts / Bogaerts than to make a run at Machado or Harper.
Though if they were doing it for that reason I’d rather it be Machado, and Bogaerts / Machado on the left side of the infield with Devers shifting over to first.
Yeah you are right with that actually they will need to pay them soon
Have you looked at their payroll, that’s one reason they won’t sign either. No way in hell would Manny sign with the Sox.
HEAVENS!!! Ya might think the Angels just DFA’d Trout…….The vesting option, the general overall uninspired play, the year Mooreland is having, the desire to keep Swihart……all kind of led up to it.
Pretty easy decision. IMHO…….
I can see him as a fit in Tampa. They have no power and no money so he could slide in there playing about 60-70% of the time.
He could be the every other day starting pitcher!!!!!!!
You’re absolutely right. Prorated league minimum for Ramirez is right up Tampa’s alley.
Someone might attempt to exchange they’re own untradeable player with a similar bad 2019 option?
Highly unlikely.
Cole Hamels ($24MM) and Brian McCann ($15MM) are the only others with 2019 vesting and/or player options worth over $10MM, and each is more valuable at this point to his team than Ramirez would be.
Bravo DD, brilliant management decision !
Would be a good addition to the Angels once he clears waivers
He doesn’t hafts clear waivers, he has one more option left.
That doesn’t matter. Its still a service time thing.
I can only hope that some team goes the route of Vernon Wells or Alex Rios and (trades for or claims) absorbs all the money owed this year.
But with that doubtful to happen, hopefully this doesn’t come back to bite the Sox in the a…
Good luck to Hanley where ever he ends up(unless he ends up in the Bronx)
I think it was the right move to make for the Sox. More and more, teams are realizing that windows close quickly, and when you have the chance to be in “win now” mode, you’d better jump on it with everything you can. It’s not like the Yankees are going to be easy to beat for an extended period of time; gotta do everything you can to maximize opportunities NOW. On the overall, Hanley wasn’t a great sign – take the L for this one and move on.
Mets need a first baseman
WTF… all this because of Swihart. What a joke.
Great job DD, you just stabbed this Redsox team in the heart. I am disgusted.
and I was playing so well with him on MLB The Show…
Hopefully Swihart can play more and get a chance to grow
The guy is a cancer anywhere he goes. Find one teammate that is his friend…..I’ll wait …
Fevers, Betty, JD
Have heard nothing but good things about Hanley out the Red Sox clubhouse
He simply is not a $22 million player.
True.
Through all you know in there I bet.
There is no need to replace Ramirez with anyone outside the organization.
Moreland should own 1B. Swihart and Holt can back him up when he needs rest.
JD Martinez and Benintendi should share both left field and DH, switching when needed. Again, Swihart and Holt can serve as backups.
Withe the $22million Ramirez savings in 2019, call up $11 million Rusney Castillo as main centerfielder. Jackie Bradley can be the 4th outfielder
Let upcoming free agent Pomeranz walk and call up Jalen Beeks (another $8 million savings).
Take the $19 million windfall and resign Kimbrel and Kelly with some of it.
Bump Bogaerts, Rodrigues, Holt, and Barnes salaries before arbitration.
Mooreland, Holt, and Swiahrt all do not hit left hand pitching.
JD Martinez does not belong in the outfield.
Rusney Castillo has a wRC+ of 92 in AAA this season, The Red Sox are not taking on that luxury threshold hit (through 2020!) for a below average minor leaguer.
How does letting Pomeranze walk in the offseason help this year? Penciling Beeks in as a starter after one good month in AAA is a
This was the right move. There’s more potential to Swihart than Ramirez at this point and Holt & Bradley going down to Triple-A would make the team worse.
I think the Twins, Royals, A’s or Rangers scoop him up, mostly just hoping he regains his March/April form and they can flip him for a more useful long-term asset. I don’t think he really represents an upgrade on any contenders.
Would be the perfect player the Rockies need.
I wish more teams would do this, and cut their losses on big investments.
Come on Dodgers pick him up we need a SS. Bring back Han Ram!!
If you need a shortstop, why would you sign Ramirez??
Would be a major upgrade for the Rangers
Won’t miss him or his lazy ass! And yes Ortiz was his motor.
Doogie Howser, MD,
In regard to Pomeranz and Castillo, I was referring to 2019, not this year. I realize the Sox almost surely have to eat the remainder of Hanley’s 2018 salary, so Castillo can’t be brought up until next year. 2019 potential savings from Ramirez and Pomeranz would cut the salary cap significantly.
As far as JD Martinez, yah, he’s not the best in LF, but he’s got to be an every day player.
And about Moreland, Holt and Swihart’s issues against left handed pitchers, thanks for that info. I didn’t realize there was that much of a difference. I’ll have to re-think everything now !
I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs with Oakland or the Angels
It would be funny as hell if he signed with the Angels and got the winning hit in the WC game against the Sox.
Dear Hanley: Cut your hair, ditch the do-rag and wear a clean helmet. Sincerely, Most MLB Teams.
When he was signed, people were amazed the deal was “only” 3 years, plus an option and was jealous tbh. Thought for sure the option would vest because in his prime, Hanley could flat out hit — and never anticipated this decline, even if his SS competence was in question, at time of signing.
When he signed,most thought it was a bad deal. He had a reputation, and could not play defense. Most laughed when RS said he would be in LF.h
Putting Hanley in LF was an experiment, but doubt everyone expected the sheer debacle that developed
Have to give Red Sox credit for thinking outside the box — to keep Hanley’s bat in the lineup — Even if the Hanley LF experiment ended in failure.
:LF Alfonso Soriano was a converted from the IF so was Alex Gordon. You never know if it would work out unless you try.
Cleveland signs him as a 3B, bumps Jose Ramirez to 2B and Kipnis to the bench…
No
They need a RH bat in that lineup and need to bury Kipnis for a while until he figures it out.
Its possible a trade may be in the works requiring this action
I have a question. If he clears waivers and gets sign to a team that gives him full time at bats, can his vesting option still activate? And if so, do the Red Sox have to pay it or is it required of the new team?
If the Red Sox had to pay, it might make sense for a team like the Orioles to sign him after he clears. Not only would they get a decent player for minimum salary, but they could also cost a division rival next year.
Not if but when Mitch Moreland gets hurt, then Dombrowski will feel just plain dumb.
You must live your life with perfect vision…hindsight…
The Jays should have a big fire sale if they are out of contention at the break. They could be back a lot faster . Don’t do like KC did last year !
HR has some usefulness.
He can play 1B, SS (in a pinch), 3B, and LF.
Whether a team thinks he can hit will be the motivation to sign him.