HOUSTON -- The Hanley Ramirez Era is officially over.
The Red Sox announced Friday that they have released Ramirez after going through the process of designating the first baseman/designated hitter for assignment. The team put Ramirez on waivers Wednesday after not being able to work out a trade, with no team predictably claiming the 34-year-old in the subsequent 48 hours. (Any team claiming Ramirez would be forced to pick up the remainder of the $22 million he was owed this season.)
Some possible landing spots for Ramirez now that he is a free agent, and only costs the acquiring team the major-league minimum, are in Seattle and with the Los Angeles Angels.
Ramirez played in 429 regular season games in his return to the Red Sox organization, hitting a combined .260 with a .777 OPS and 78 home runs. The Sox went 233-196 in games Ramirez played starting in 2015.
The righty hitter has hit .254 with a .708 OPS this season after struggling mightily in May (.163 batting average, .500 OPS).
