The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a move to bolster their bullpen depth by signing right-hander Yohan Ramírez to a minor league deal, as per MLB.com’s transactions tracker. Ramírez, 29, will return to the Pirates after spending parts of the 2023 season with the club, and is expected to receive an invitation to major league spring training.
Ramírez is no stranger to life on the move, having pitched for a variety of teams during his five-year career, including stints with the Mariners, Guardians, White Sox, Mets, Orioles, Dodgers, and Red Sox. Over 169 career innings, he has posted a 4.58 ERA, but his journey has been marked by improvements and adjustments in his pitching style along the way.
Early in his career, Ramírez struggled with control, leading to a high walk rate. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he struck out an impressive 29.3% of batters, but also issued walks at a concerning 15.3% rate. In recent years, the right-hander has made a concerted effort to improve his command, cutting his walk rate down to 9.8%, though his strikeout rate has dipped to 20.3%.
The 2024 season was a whirlwind for Ramírez, as he bounced between multiple teams, including the Mets, Orioles, Dodgers, and Red Sox, after starting the year with the Pirates. His nomadic season resulted in a 6.20 ERA over 45 innings, though advanced metrics such as his 4.26 FIP and 3.84 SIERA suggest he may have been the victim of some bad luck, particularly with a .346 batting average on balls in play and a low strand rate of 59.4%.
With Aroldis Chapman, Jalen Beeks, and Ryan Borucki all set to hit free agency, the Pirates are looking to add depth to their bullpen, and bringing back Ramírez on a minor league deal gives them a familiar arm to work with. Despite his struggles in 2024, Ramírez still has potential, and the Pirates could benefit from his ability to miss bats if he can continue to improve his control.
One challenge Ramírez will face is his lack of minor league options, which could make it difficult for him to secure a permanent spot on the Pirates’ roster. However, with less than three years of service time, he remains a controllable asset who could provide value if he finds consistency in Pittsburgh.
As the Pirates enter the offseason, Ramírez’s return adds an interesting dynamic to the team’s bullpen competition heading into 2025. If he can rediscover the form that made him a strikeout machine earlier in his career, he could play a key role in helping the Pirates solidify their relief corps.
