After being let go by the catching-crowded Tigers, Wilson Ramos will not be signing with a big league team in the near term.
Or at least that’s what it seems like now that he’s been added to the official Team Venezuela Olympic roster:
@TeamBeisbolVe oficializó su roster definitivo para el Reprechaje OlÃmpico #LaQueNosVuelveLocos#PorTuSelección#RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/WRWbhWleup
— Team Beisbol Venezuela (@TeamBeisbolVe) June 22, 2021
If a team goes far enough, the Olympic run could last until the first week of August (medal rounds), which means Ramos might be unavailable until well after the Trade Deadline. For a team like the Cubs, they very well might still want him at that point – they frequently add a third catcher in August – but their back-up need is obviously much more pressing than that. With all appropriate respect to Jose Lobaton, it was hard to watch him this weekend, struggling behind the plate, and believe he can be the back-up that helps keep Willson Contreras healthy for the next month+.
Your only small hope on Ramos, potentially, is that he’d play only in the qualifiers in the near-term, show he’s healthy, and hope to sign with a big league team quickly. I’m not trying to pluck him away from his native country in the Olympics – I’m just saying there’s a chance that it’s what HE wants to do. If so, hopefully the Cubs could pounce quickly.
I’ll mention again that the Orioles have DFA’d former top prospect Chance Sisco, who was struggling badly this year, but the Cubs are definitely in that “beggars can’t be choosers” mode.