Hanley Ramirez agrees to contract with Indians

Hanley Ramirez agreed on Saturday to sign a contract with the Cleveland Indians hoping to make a comeback after the Boston Red Sox released him in the middle of last season, a close source told ESPN of the agreement.

Ramirez, 35, ended a four-year spell in Boston with probably the worst year of his career and spent the rest of the season after his June 1 st release. He will try to come back with the Indians, who could have a first goal spot or a designated hitter.

The Cleveland attack is its biggest question mark in 2019, and the Indians have done virtually nothing to fix it, apart from the agreements that sent Edwin Encarnacion and Yandy Diaz back and marked Carlos Santana and Jake Bauers. The only major Indian league that has signed this off season has been a one-year contract and an amount of $ 2.5 million for Liberal Oliver Perez.

Santana is likely to play at first, provided that Bauers can play a niche, which would leave the DH post in place of Ramirez, who will join the Indians in the major league camp once he has passed a physical exam.

The last Ramirez contract lasted four years and involved $ 88 million for the Red Sox, whose disastrous 2015 deadly season led to a change of pace and set the stage for their victory in the 2018 World Series. his four seasons in Boston, Ramirez OPS was below the league average, and his .254 / .313 / .395 straight line led Boston to cut baits and give full-time defender position to JD Martinez and Mitch Moreland and possibly Steve Pearce.

Ten years later than his best season, Ramirez is no longer the short and sporty stunt that could hit to get average power and steal goals. The Indians would be very pleased to see a serial producer fortify a formation that needs it, especially with star player Francisco Lindor, dubious to return to the game on the first day due to a calf injury.