St. Paul – Erasmo Ramírez has had his fair share of hurdles throughout his 18-year pro-baseball career. That’s why he’s become a strong journeyman reliever who does what he says he’ll do on the mound over the last half-decade.
But he hadn’t had a season in over a decade where he would miss a significant portion of the season due to an injury since 2013. Back then, the Seattle Mariners shut down Ramirez shortly after spring training, reassigned him to Triple-A Tacoma, and placed him on the IL with a triceps strain. He didn’t pitch in a game until May 28, 2013.
This year, the wait to recover from a “significant tear” in his right shoulder was the longest Ramírez would have to stay off the mound to start a season. From the time Ramírez was told of his tear in early March until June 20, when he returned to the mound, it was the longest time he’s missed on the mound.
“The start of it was rough,” said Ramírez. “Being in spring training and being injured is nothing you want to do, especially when it’s you’re first time with the team, and just fight through. Just be patient, fight through, and just be ready for when they give me the call, but first, I have to come up here, execute, and show that I’m healthy and that everything is coming back a little.”
Ramírez didn’t have the results he was hoping for when he came back to the mound. During his first 10 games back, Ramírez gave up 10 earned runs on 17 hits and four walks, while striking out 15 over 15 innings pitched. A 6.00 ERA over 10 games typically doesn’t flash enough to earn any player a call-up to the majors. However, following Minnesota’s fire sale, it needed arms, and Ramírez was among the collective called up to fill the roster spots.
Ramírez pitched better once he was back in the majors. He had a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings over nine appearances, only allowing 10 hits and two walks, while striking out five. Despite the strong performance as a veteran in the bullpen in August, the Twins designated him for assignment on Aug. 24 to clear room on the active roster for Taj Bradley and cleared waivers to rejoin the Saints two days later.
While the Saints used him for only five games in the last four weeks of their season, Ramírez allowed only one earned run in 6⅓ innings of work. The last two months of the year have been exactly what Ramírez was hoping to do all season, and with his shoulder back to full strength, Ramírez fully intends to continue pitching in 2026.
“It feels amazing,” said Ramírez. “My body has been recovering real quick, and I just feel like I wish the injury didn’t happen, but everything happens for a reason, and I just thank God I’m still pitching. And I know the off-season is going to be working on getting my body strong and being ready for spring training, no matter what team I’m going to be on. Hopefully, [the Twins] offer me something.”
Even with his time on the mound limited down the stretch, Ramírez was still the go-to guy in the bullpen for the younger Saints pitchers to get advice whenever they needed it. His leadership in the bullpen was invaluable to those who have yet to reach the majors, and it also helped keep Ramírez motivated to perform at the top of his game.
“It’s awesome to have them,” said Saints reliever Jarret Whorff. “On a day-to-day, you get to play catch with them, you get to pick their brain on what they’d throw in a certain count, and you get to pick their brain on grips, how they approach the game. They’ve been so helpful to me and the younger guys, so it’s been great.”
“It’s just really fun to talk to them, especially Erasmo,” said starter Andrew Morris. “He’s close to 10 years, I think, and he’s got a lot of wisdom, so it’s always fun to talk to him. Just the way he sees the game. It’s cool talking to D-Mac (Darren McCaughan) too, so it’s been fun.”
“[To] just be sharing the locker room with guys like Erasmo Ramirez, he’s been giving me some advice,” outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez said, “and I’ve been taking it, and so far it’s been a joy.”
But being the veteran leader in the clubhouse didn’t come easy to Ramírez.
In 2019, he truly began the journeyman reliever part of his career with the Boston Red Sox. Ramírez wants to help his teammates out whenever he can, but he doesn’t want to overstep the boundaries of a pitching coach’s role.
This year in the Twins organization, there hasn’t been any worry for him. He’s at a point where he’s found the best balance not to overstep that boundary.
“Just being around everyone and realizing they’re just working hard,” he said. “They just gave me that excitement. I want to help, and if I can give a little help to make them shine, I don’t mind.
“If you’re going to shine more than me, I don’t mind. That may mean I work extra hard for me, but we can share the same shine, the same brightness on the team, because I don’t just want to be the veteran that talks. I want to be the veteran that do and talks.”
Ramírez has lived up to his do and talk motto to end the season in the Twins organization. And while his time in Minnesota may be coming to a close, his career will not be. Ramírez will turn 36 on May 2, which is still a relatively young age for a reliever compared to most other positions. With his performance over the last two months, he’ll be a strong arm for the Twins or any other team to sign to their bullpen this upcoming off-season.
