MLB Rumors: New Free Agent Hanley Ramirez Reportedly Drawing Interest From Multiple Teams
Baltimore Orioles are among the teams considering signing Ramirez
Late last month, the Boston Red Sox made a bit of a surprising move, as they opted to designate first baseman/designated hitter Hanley Ramirez for assignment after second baseman Dustin Pedroia came off the disabled list.
Just a few days ago, the Red Sox put an end to their working relationship with Ramirez, officially releasing him and allowing him to become a free agent.
Now that he's on the market, Ramirez has apparently become quite popular among some MLB teams outside of Boston.
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First off, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and The Athletic reported that the Baltimore Orioles have looked into the possibility of signing Ramirez.
Not long after that, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reported that Orioles general manager Dan Duquette has confirmed Rosenthal's report.
So why would the Baltimore Orioles be interested in signing Ramirez?
The Orioles are mired in last place in the American League East, and they've arguably been the worst team in baseball thus far this season.
Ramirez is not a young guy, so it's not like he's someone who is going to be a part of their long-term picture.
What's likely here is that the Orioles are checking Ramirez out to see if he can turn things around over the next few weeks or so. If the Orioles sign Ramirez and he suddenly rediscovers that hitting form that made him such a threat at the plate earlier in his career, then the team could be able to trade him to a contender and receive some prospects in exchange for someone they have no long-term plans for.
A motivated Ramirez could go on a hot streak and quickly turn himself into one of the most coveted hitters in a trading market that is not expected to be full of readily available sluggers.
If that is indeed what the Orioles have in mind, then they will need to act fast.
In a follow-up tweet, Cafardo reported that multiple teams are now showing interest in the 34-year-old hitter.
It can seem odd that a player who was just released days ago is now suddenly turning into a coveted free agent, but that may be due to the power of Ramirez's potential.
As many baseball fans will remember, Ramirez was on the shortlist of best players in the Majors during his stint with the Florida/Miami Marlins. Using that lightning-quick swing of his, Ramirez could easily drive balls into the gaps or launch them over the fences.
Ramirez has not been the same offensive force at the plate with the Red Sox as he was with the Marlins or even the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier in his career, but many people around the league likely still remember the talent and are intrigued by the possibility that he may still have something left in the tank.
Plus, it likely won't take a ton of money to sign Ramirez, so he could be a low-cost yet potentially rewarding addition to a team.
Ramirez is still on the free agent market for now, but there's a decent chance he won't be there for that much longer.
