Pirates Bring Up New Relief Pitcher

Ramírez signed a minor league contract with the Pirates on Oct. 24, 2024 and has pitched solely with Indianapolis this season. He had a 2-1 record in 27 appearances, a 3.19 ERA over 31.0 innings pitched, a .233 opposing batting average and a 1.26 WHIP.

He spent two short brief stints on the temporarily inactive list, May 24-28 and May 31-June 3. He also triggered an opt-out clause in his contract, with the Pirates releasing him on July 4. He then re-signed a minor league contract on July 6.

Ramírez struggled in April with a 6.52 ERA over nine appearances, but pitched much better in May, posting a 1.29 ERA over six appearances, and in June, with a 2.19 ERA over 10 appearances.

He first joined the Pirates on July 8, 2022, in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians, in exchange for cash considerations.

Ramírez made 22 appearances out of the bullpen for Pittsburgh, with a 3-1 record, a 3.67 ERA over 27.0 innings pitched, 21 strikeouts to 13 walks, a .224 opposing batting average and a 1.30 WHIP.

He spent three different stints in 2023 with the Pirates, April 16-June 20, July 5-19 and Aug. 15-24, while spending the other time with Indianapolis.

Ramírez had a 1-0 record in 26 MLB appearances that season, with a 3.67 ERA over 34.1 innings pitched, 31 strikeouts to 14 walks, a .260 opposing batting average and a 1.40 WHIP.

The Pirates placed Ramírez on waivers on Sept. 1 and the Chicago White Sox claimed him on Sept. 5

Ramírez pitched for four teams in 2024, the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. He didn't have a great year, with a 6.20 ERA over 45.0 innings pitched and an 0-5 record.

He hails from Villa Mella in the Dominican Republic and signed with the Houston Astros as an international free agent on June 15, 2016.

The Seattle Mariners then selected Ramírez in the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 12, 2019, and he pitched for three seasons with the franchise, 2020-22.

Ramírez went to the Guardians in a trade on May 16, 2022 and only pitched in one game for them at the MLB level before going to the Pirates.

The Pirates now have six right-handed pitchers in their bullpen in Braxton Ashcraft, David Bednar, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski, Dennis Santana and Ramírez. They also have two left-handed pitchers in Caleb Ferguson and Génesis Cabrera.