Ramirez playing with confidence since callup

May 27th, 2019

WASHINGTON -- Marlins outfielder Harold Ramirez continues to impress in his brief time in the Major Leagues.

Ramirez, 24, collected two of Miami’s four hits in Saturday’s 5-0 loss to the Nationals and on Sunday had a double, two singles and a walk in five plate appearances in a 9-6 loss. He’s hit safely in nine of 11 games and is batting .395 (15-for-38) since his callup on May 11.

According to Elias, Ramirez’s 15 hits are the most hits by a Marlins player in his first 11 games.

“My confidence is very high right now,” Ramirez said before Sunday’s game. “I just enjoy the game. It’s the same baseball.”

Ramirez signed with the Marlins this past offseason as a Minor League free agent and began the year with Triple-A New Orleans. He produced a .303/.358/.421 slash line by the time he was called up, and the Marlins’ recent six-game winning streak began soon after his arrival.

“Harold’s been good because he’s a guy that kind of lengthens your order,” manager Don Mattingly said. "You start getting back into that six hole or so and a guy that’s hitting the ball hard a lot, getting hits, getting on base. It kind of feeds everything.”

Ramirez made his debut May 11 against the Mets at Citi Field and went 1-for-4. He hit his first home run Tuesday in Detroit and has four two-hit games in his past five.

A right fielder at Triple-A, Ramirez has started the past five games in center for the Marlins, who lack a true center fielder at present.

“Harold’s probably playing a position right now for us because of injuries that’s not best suited [to him], but we’ve tried to get some offense,” Mattingly said. “But he’s been fine. He’s had a couple of balls we feel like he probably should have caught, that [have] kind of bounced out of the glove, but in general he’s been pretty good.”

“My first four years I played center field,” said Ramirez, who was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates in 2011. “They moved me to the corner, but for me center field, you have to run more, but it’s easier because every ball comes to you.”

Worth noting
• With a second-inning single on Sunday, second baseman Starlin Castro has hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games, but his average sat at .228 entering Sunday.

“Starlin’s a guy who just hasn’t had a lot of luck,” Mattingly said Sunday. “He’s hit the ball pretty good all year long. I’d say more normal for him, just like last year. He’s swung the bat good, he’s hit the ball hard. He’s probably been our least lucky guy.”

• Right-hander Riley Ferrell (right biceps tendinitis) threw two scoreless innings on a rehab assignment with Triple-A New Orleans on Saturday. He allowed three hits with no walks or strikeouts.

• Outfielder Garrett Cooper was given the day off on Sunday.