Hanley Ramirez Trade Rumors: Latest Updates and Analysis

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It was only two years ago that Hanley Ramirez was considered one of the great players in the game and a perennial contender for the National League MVP award. With the Marlins on the verge of falling out of the playoff race, major changes could be coming to South Florida—starting with Ramirez being shipped out of town.

As the trade deadline nears, Han-Ram's future in Miami is sure to become more uncertain—and Bleacher Report will be on top of it all, bringing you the most up-to-the-minute rumblings about where the former All-Star might end up, along with analysis and everything else that comes with it.

The best part? Everything will be right here, so there's no risk of missing a juicy rumor that just broke.

Let's take a look at the latest news surrounding a talented player who may best be served with a change of scenery.

 

*This will be updated on a regular basis—often multiple times per day—so while the post date will always show as July 22, simply click to the next slide to see the latest rumors and rumblings about Ramirez as the Marlins try and figure out their next move.*

Ramirez Traded to Dodgers

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July 25th:

According to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, Hanley Ramirez is no longer a Miami Marlin:

 

 

Source: Dodgers have acquired Hanley Ramirez and Choate from Marlins for Eovaldi and a minor leaguer. Game changes in LA. Marlins selling.

— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) July 25, 2012

 

 

If this is the case, it's a pretty lackluster return for the Marlins.

Eovaldi, a 22-year-old righty, is 1-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 10 starts for the Dodgers this season.

The Marlins aren't thought to have picked up any of the $38 million remaining on his deal, which partially explains the minimal return. It also speaks volumes as to how desperate they were to rid themselves of Ramirez—and how far his star has fallen.

Money? Position?

Where does Ramirez fit?
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June 24th:

ESPN's Buster Olney checks in with the chatter floating around front offices as it pertains to Hanley Ramirez:

Hanley is owed about $38.5 million for the rest of his contract; rival execs say Marlins would have to account for huge portion in a deal.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 24, 2012

Seeing how Ramirez hasn't exactly played up to his contract lately, it certainly makes sense. Whether the Marlins are willing to pick up any of the money left on his deal remains to be seen.

Some teams have determined Hanley Ramirez cannot be a workable third baseman, but might consider him at SS.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 24, 2012

Based on his lackluster play, it's a fair question to ask. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that some AL GM's believe he's best suited as a designated hitter.

The question of position on the field is a far easier obstacle to overcome than the money he is owed. If the Marlins are convinced that Ramirez absolutely has to go, then they very well might pick up a chunk of his contract, or take lesser prospects in return.

Or...perhaps they sweeten the pot by dangling Logan Morrison in the deal as well. With Christian Yelich perhaps ready for prime time in 2013, Morrison could be expendable.

The Orioles and Marlins Are Talking

Could Matusz be part of a package for Hanley?
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July 24th:

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Orioles and Marlins have been talking about a number of trade scenarios, and it stands to reason that some of them revolve around Hanley Ramirez:

Marlins and Orioles discussing scenarios.

— Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) July 24, 2012

ESPN's Jim Bowden also says that the Marlins are deep in negotiations and could pull off a blockbuster deal in the next 24-48 hours:

Marlins knee deep in trade discussions could make another blockbuster in next 24 hours

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) July 24, 2012

Baltimore isn't likely to deal either Dylan Bundy or Manny Machado in a deal for Ramirez, but they have a number of young pitchers and position players in the minors who could be of interest to the Marlins.

The A's Emerge as a Contender

Could Brad Peacock head to the Marlins?
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July 24th:

USA Today's Bob Nightengale, who was the first to report the potential trade of Ramirez and Heath Bell to the Red Sox for Carl Crawford and a prospect, hits us this afternoon with another suitor for Hanley's services:

 

The Oakland #Athletics,desperate for infield help,have jumped into trade talks for #Marlins Hanley Ramirez, joining #BlueJays and #RedSox.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 24, 2012

 

While it's unclear what Oakland would offer Miami (RHP Brad Peacock immediately comes to mind), the more teams interested, the better from the Marlins' point of view.

Back to Where It All Began?

Hanley Ramirez was once thought to be the future in Boston.
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July 24th Update:

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox and Marlins were still discussing potential deals involving Hanley Ramirez last night.

The talks between the two sides are far from over folks, and I'd hesitantly call Boston the favorite to land Ramirez at this point.

 

July 18th Update:

ESPN's Buster Olney says that the proposed deal never really had any life to it, essentially squashing the report from Bob Nightengale earlier in the day:

 

Sources:There is no current discussion involving Crawford and Hanley Ramirez/Heath Bell. Was brought up briefly as concept,immediately died.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 18, 2012

 

The truth probably lies somewhere between what the two reporters said. Chances are that discussions were never quite as close to a done deal as Nightengale suggested, but further along than was let on to Olney.

It wouldn't be surprising to see these discussions come back to life as we get closer to the trade deadline.

 

July 18th:

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Marlins and Red Sox have had discussions about a deal that would send left fielder Carl Crawford and an unknown prospect to Miami in exchange for Hanley Ramirez and closer Heath Bell.

Crawford has most certainly worn out his welcome in Boston, fighting through a disappointing 2011 campaign and missing most of this season thus far with a myriad of injuries, returning to action just about a week ago.

Bell has already lost the job as Miami's closer once this season, and Ramirez, forced to third base after the Marlins signed shortstop Jose Reyes as a free agent this past winter, has disappointed at the plate and generally seemed unhappy in Miami.

Ramirez Is Most Definitely on the Block

Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

July 24th Update:

CBS Sports' Scott Miller, in talking to a number of executives around the league, says that the Marlins have never been as willing to trade Hanley Ramirez as they are right now..

This last bout of immaturity, one that started with Ramirez punching a cooling fan in the dugout before the All-Star break and has now resulted in his injured hand becoming infected because Ramirez couldn't be bothered to take his medication, seems to be the straw that broke the camel's back.

It sure seems as if the Marlins realize that the former face of the franchise no longer fits in the clubhouse, dugout, or on the roster, and that moving him is the best thing for all parties involved.

Whether it be Arizona, Boston or to a team that we've not yet looked at, I would be pretty confident in saying that Hanley Ramirez is entering his last week as a Miami Marlin.

Could Justin Upton Be Dealt for HanRam?

Could Justin Upton become a Marlin?
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July 21 Update:

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal opined about a number of teams who could potentially have interest in trading for Hanley Ramirez, and he named the Arizona Diamondbacks as one of those teams.

With Justin Upton reportedly on the block, would the two teams possibly engage in a swap of disgruntled stars?

Ramirez is owed $31 million over the next two seasons while Upton has three years and $34.5 million remaining on his deal. Financially, the numbers aren't far off, though the extra year of control on Upton could find the Diamondbacks asking for additional pieces along with Ramirez.

In Arizona, Ramirez would likely replace Ryan Roberts at third base, with the Diamondbacks keeping Stephen Drew in the fold at shortstop.

For the Marlins, Upton would join a young, powerful outfield that includes Giancarlo Stanton and Logan Morrison, though it's likely that one of the two would have to be moved in order to make room for Upton.

Four Teams with Potential Interest in Ramirez?

Could Ramirez join Andrew McCutchen in Pittsburgh?
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Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal opined that there at least five teams—the A's, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Mariners and Pirates—that could all make a move to acquire Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins.

We took a deeper look at Arizona previously, but each of the remaining four teams certainly has some young prospects who could be enticing to Miami.

If I had to rank the chances of these four clubs making a play for HanRam, in order of most likely to least likely, I'd put the Dodgers at the head of the pack, followed by the Diamondbacks, Pirates, A's and, finally, the Mariners.

With $31 million remaining on his deal through the 2014 season, he may prove to be too expensive for some of the smaller-market clubs.