The Boston Red Sox today reinstated first baseman Hanley Ramirez from the bereavement list. To make room on the 25-man roster, infielder Marco Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket following last night's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Ramirez will be available for today's series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park beginning at 1:08 p.m.
President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski made the announcement.
Ramirez, 32, has played 107 games for the Red Sox this season, batting .275 (110-for-400) with 57 runs, 22 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 71 RBI, and seven stolen bases while making 95 starts at first base and nine starts as designated hitter. In his last 40 games since June 22, the right-handed hitter has posted a .294 batting average (42-for-143) and a .967 OPS with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, and 32 RBI. The three-time National League All-Star has played in 1,435 games over 12 major league seasons since being signed by Boston as an amateur free agent in July 2000, hitting .294 (1,613-for-5,478) with 938 runs, 337 doubles, 32 triples, 226 home runs, 778 RBI, 274 stolen bases, and a .491 slugging percentage.
Hernandez, 23, has hit .295 (13-for-44) with seven runs, one double, one home run, five RBI, and one stolen base in 29 games over four major league stints, all with Boston. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs in 2014 in exchange for Felix Doubront, the switch-hitting infielder has spent the majority of the year with Pawtucket, batting .303 (61-for-201) with 25 runs, seven doubles, four triples, four home runs, 28 RBI, and four stolen bases in 52 games at four different defensive positions. Since signing with Chicago as an amateur free agent in 2009, the Dominican native has hit .282 (680-for-2,413) over 629 minor league games, tallying 315 runs, 118 doubles, 33 triples, 30 home runs, 283 RBI, and 93 stolen bases.