
Manny Ramírez is eyeing a return to Major League Baseball, but not as a player.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Ramírez is seeking a hitting coach job in MLB. The former All-Star outfielder is reportedly willing to work in the minor leagues if that is what it takes to get back in the game.
Manny Ramirez is seeking a hitting coach job in MLB, agent Hector Zepeda said. Ramirez, who hit 555 HRs and batted .312, last worked as a player/coach for the Sydney Blue Sox in Australia in 2020-21. He’s so determined to get back in the game he’s willing to go to the minors.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 5, 2026
Ramírez, 54, has not held an official role in baseball since January 2021, when he was released from his role as a player-coach for the ABL’s Sydney Blue Sox. He was one of MLB’s most feared sluggers throughout his 19-year playing career, batting .312/.411/.585 with 555 home runs.
During his time with the Boston Red Sox, Ramírez earned eight of his 12 All-Star selections and helped the franchise capture two World Series titles. The right-handed slugger was especially dominant in October, finishing his career with a .937 playoff OPS. He was named MVP of the 2004 World Series and still holds MLB’s all-time record for postseason home runs (29).
Manny REALLY being Manny. #RedSoxEncore | @NESN pic.twitter.com/6nRSqjfDTv
— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 27, 2020
Ramírez retired from MLB in 2011 after being handed a 100-game suspension for his second violation of the league’s drug policy. After his ban was later reduced, he attempted several minor league comebacks in the years that followed. He never made it back to the majors, however.
This is not the first time Ramírez has publicly expressed interest in coaching. In May 2025, he told baseball reporter Héctor Gómez that he was available to work as a hitting coach for any of the 30 MLB teams, adding that he was confident he could help “significantly” improve any offense. His agent, Hector Zepeda, also told the New York Post in October 2025 that Ramírez wanted to “bring his greatness to teach the young guys.”
Ramírez previously served as a major and minor league hitting consultant from 2014-16 with the Chicago Cubs, where he was credited with “bridging the language and cultural gap” between the coaching staff and some of their young Latin American players. Several of his former Red Sox teammates have held coaching roles in the majors more recently, including Dave Roberts, Alex Cora and Jason Varitek.
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