The Angels have signed right-hander AJ Ramos to a minor league deal, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports. The contract contains an invitation to the Halos’ big league spring training camp.
Ramos first signed with the Angels on another minors contract just prior to Opening Day 2021, and the righty finally cracked the big league roster and appeared in four games over the final week of the regular season. Between his 4 2/3 innings with Anaheim last year and 2 2/3 innings with the Rockies in 2020, it at least represents some foothold back in the Show for Ramos after he missed most of the 2018 season and all of the 2019 season recovering from shoulder surgery.
Prior to that injury, Ramos was a standout member of the Marlins bullpen from 2013-16, posting a 2.62 ERA over 278 1/3 innings in those four seasons. Ramos served as the team’s closer in the last two of those years, racking up 72 saves and earning an All-Star nod in 2016.
Ramos wasn’t great at in the minors last season, with a 5.26 ERA and 10.6% walk rate over 53 frames for Triple-A Salt Lake. However, clearly the Angels liked enough of what they saw (perhaps in the form of a 31% strikeout rate) to bring Ramos back for another run in spring training, at the no-risk cost of a minor league contract. Even if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster, the Halos might again keep Ramos around as Triple-A depth.
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