Hanley Ramirez Becomes Free Agent After Rejecting Minor League Deal from Indians

Hanley Ramirez is back on the open market after officially being released by the Cleveland Indians.  

Per the Tom Withers of the Associated Press, Ramirez opted to become a free agent rather than sign a minor-league deal with Cleveland after he was designated for assignment last week. 

The Indians announced Saturday that Ramirez had been designated for assignment to make room for Francisco Lindor's return from calf and ankle injuries. 

A three-time All-Star, Ramirez signed a minor league deal with Cleveland in February. He made the Opening Day roster but struggled with a .184/.298/.327 slash line and two homers in 16 games. 

This marks the second straight year Ramirez has been released. The 35-year-old was let go by the Boston Red Sox in May 2018. He has played a total of 60 games since the start of last season. 

Per FanGraphs, Ramirez has had just one season with a positive wins above replacement total since 2015. 

Given Ramirez's age and declining production, his best chance to find a new team will likely be with a rebuilding team that needs help at designated hitter or to wait for an injury to occur.