Red Sox Pres. Dave Dombrowski Says Hanley Ramirez DFA Was Alex Cora's Decision

The Boston Red Sox decided to part ways with Hanley Ramirez on Friday, and as it turns out, it was the skipper's call.

Boston president Dave Dombrowski revealed, via the Boston Globe's Alex Speier, that the team was prepared to make a different transaction to clear room for Dustin Pedroia, but that manager Alex Cora suggested Ramirez be officially designated for assignment.

During the 2014 offseason, Ramirez signed a four-year, $88 million deal with the Red Sox on the same day the team signed Pablo Sandoval to a five-year, $95 million contract. Neither megadeal worked out the way Boston hoped, with Sandoval having been designated for assignment last summer.

Ramirez's time with Boston came to an end in similar fashion on Friday:

The former batting champion hit .260 with 78 home runs, 71 doubles and 255 RBI during his three-plus seasons in a Red Sox uniform. A three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, he failed to earn either honor after signing the deal. He did, however, help the Red Sox reach the postseason in each of the past two years, although they won just one playoff game in two series during his tenure.

Ramirez got off to a strong start at the plate this season, hitting .330 with three home runs, five doubles and 17 RBI through April. His bat cooled off as the calendar flipped to May, hitting just .163 with five extra-base hits this month.

Per Speier, the decision was made so the Red Sox could keep utility man Blake Swihart—a career .260 hitter—and because Ramirez, who has played all but one game at first base or designated hitter the past two-plus seasons, was not viewed as a great fit for the bench.

The strongest argument for keeping Ramirez would have been for a platoon role or to be used as a late-inning pinch-hitter. He was hitting .333 against southpaws this season and has a career .296 average against them. He also has 59 home runs since the start of the 2016 season, so there is still some pop left in the 34-year-old's bat.

In the end, Cora—who is in his first year as Red Sox manager—felt it was best for everyone to move on. Boston will swallow the rest of the contract and not have to worry about the $22 million option for 2019 vesting, and Ramirez can try to find a spot with a new team.