Erasmo Ramírez has accepted an assignment to Triple-A Durham after being outrighted by the Rays. Tampa Bay had designated the veteran long reliever for assignment late last week.
This marks the second time this season that Ramírez has been designated for assignment. After being waived by the Rays in late May, he spent time in Durham until being called back up on August 26. During his brief return, Ramírez appeared in two games, pitching two scoreless innings against the Mariners in his first outing. However, his second appearance against the Padres was less successful, as he allowed two runs on four walks over 2 2/3 innings.
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For the season, Ramírez has pitched 20 2/3 innings across 13 low-leverage relief outings, posting a 4.35 ERA with a 17.6% strikeout rate and an 11.8% walk rate. In contrast, he has been effective in Durham, recording a 3.02 ERA with strong strikeout (28.6%) and walk (6.5%) rates over 47 2/3 innings.
Ramírez seems to have a good relationship with the Rays, having signed with them multiple times and now accepting two outright assignments this season. He will remain with the organization through the final month of the season before becoming a free agent at the year’s end. The 34-year-old is likely to seek another minor league contract during the upcoming offseason.
