Red Sox: Finding a trade partner to take Hanley Ramirez
Could the Boston Red Sox explore options to trade Hanley Ramirez in order to clear a path for a splashy free agent signing?
Hanley Ramirez is still a member of the Boston Red Sox but for how long? The 33-year old has only one guaranteed year left on his contract for $22.75 million, plus a 2019 option that vests only if he meets certain plate appearance requirements. We can assume that Ramirez isn’t in the team’s long-term plans but will he stick around for 2018?
Not if Dave Dombrowski gets the top target on his wish list. The Red Sox are rumored to be chasing free agent J.D. Martinez, whose defensive limitations combined with Boston’s stacked outfield make him ideally suited for the designated hitter role. With Mitch Moreland signing a two-year deal to remain in Boston at first base, where does that leave Hanley?
On the trading block, most likely. Dombrowski has been coy about his plans, yet the obvious reason behind his misdirection is that he risks alienating Ramirez by admitting the Red Sox are in the market for his replacement. That would be a disaster if Dombrowski fails to sign Martinez and the team is forced to rely on Ramirez for one more year.
It’s hard to imagine Ramirez being content with a bench role in a contract year when he may be vying for the last big league contract of his career. Keeping a disgruntled Ramirez around isn’t worth the headaches or the risk that he’ll be a distraction in the clubhouse. If the goal is indeed to bring in Martinez, or any other slugger to fill the DH spot, it’s clear that Ramirez would need to go.
Where could they send him? Ramirez is overpaid, coming off a down season in which he hit only .242 with a .750 OPS and 23 home runs, but he could still have some appeal for a contender looking for a temporary solution at first base or DH and isn’t willing to commit to the long-term deals commanded by the available free agents.
Contenders without a need
Unfortunately, the list of contenders with an opening at either position and the money to take on Hanley’s contract isn’t very long.
The New York Yankees are committed to Greg Bird at first base but could use a DH. It’s unlikely Boston would help out their biggest division rival even in a salary dump that benefits them as well, while the Yankees remain intent on ducking the luxury tax and would have no interest in taking on Hanley’s salary.
None of the other AL East teams are ready to compete with Boston and New York for the division crown so a one-year rental on Ramirez does them no good.
The Minnesota Twins weren’t close to winning their division but still made the playoffs. Many believe they overachieved a bit but should still be in the mix for the Wild Card again. Joe Mauer is locked in at first base. Ramirez would be an upgrade over Kennys Vargas or Robbie Grossman at DH but not enough of one to warrant a borderline-contender paying his salary.
The World Series champion Houston Astros are set with Yuli Gurriel at first base. Evan Gattis will presumably take over most of the DH duties following the retirement of Carlos Beltran. Houston may look for a left-handed bat to platoon with Gattis but Ramirez wouldn’t be a solution.
A Seatle Mariners team vying for one of the Wild Card spots could look to upgrade the lineup but presumably, they are committed to Ryon Healy after acquiring him in a trade with the Oakland A’s. With Nelson Cruz locked in at DH there would be no clear path to playing time for Ramirez in Seattle.
Possible trade partners
The Cleveland Indians have an opening at first base with Carlos Santana signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. Jay Bruce may be next to follow him out the door, leaving the Tribe with a need for a bat and without the financial resources to invest heavily in the free agent market. Ramirez would take turns alternating between first and DH with Edwin Encarnacion. Both are a significant downgrade defensively from Santana but Cleveland doesn’t currently have a better alternative to take over at first.
The Los Angeles Angels finished five games out of a playoff spot this year but you could make the case that they would have been Wild Card bound if Mike Trout hadn’t spent over a month on the disabled list. After winning the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes and signing Zack Cozart, the Angels seem to think they are contenders. Los Angeles doesn’t have a clear opening at first base but a healthy Ramirez should be able to provide a better option than C.J. Cron or a declining Albert Pujols.
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The Texas Rangers may need to slide either Adrian Beltre or Joey Gallo across the diamond to first base or have one of them DH. That still leaves an opening at one of those positions with Mike Napoli hitting the free agent market. Texas may not be ready to contend again after becoming sellers at the trade deadline this year but they’ve been tied to several rumors for big-name talent. If they land a star to put them in position to compete then Ramirez is a viable upgrade to fill a hole in the lineup.
The National League has far fewer options given that those teams can’t plug Ramirez in at DH. The only NL team that made the postseason this year with a need for a first baseman is the Colorado Rockies, who may lose Mark Reynolds to free agency. If anything can rejuvenate the bat of Ramirez it’s the thin air at Coors Field.
None of the other NL teams in need of a first baseman came close to sniffing a playoff spot and adding Ramirez isn’t enough to change that. Barring one of those teams making another significant move that vaults them into contention, it’s hard to find another reasonable fit for Ramirez in the senior circuit.
Is a trade really feasible?
That leaves us with four candidates who conceivably could have interest in Ramirez. Would any of them have enough confidence in the veteran having a bounce-back year to take a chance on him?
The trade would be a pure salary dump, with the Red Sox expecting little in return. Boston would most likely have to eat at least some of Ramirez’ contract in any trade. If they offered to take responsibility for half of his 2018 salary it would still trim over $11 million from the payroll to keep them out of range for the heaviest tax penalties. It also frees the potential logjam that singing Martinez and Moreland would create. As an added bonus, Boston would be off the hook from worrying about managing Ramirez’ playing time to avoid letting his 2019 option vest.
Obtaining Ramirez at a reduced price should have some appeal to the few contenders with a need at his positions, while the Red Sox would have a clear path to their dream offseason of landing the top two free agent hitters.
Next: Free agents Red Sox should avoid
A limited market of lukewarm suitors won’t make a Ramirez deal easy but it’s certainly feasible. If Dombrowski is motivated to sign a star free agent then he’ll find a way to make it happen even if it means sending Hanley packing.