Wilson Ramos, who’d joined the Venezuelan team for the Olympic qualifiers after being let go by the Detroit Tigers, is actually coming back to MLB after all … but not with the Cubs. He’s signing a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians.
The report:
Free-Agent C Wilson Ramos is in agreement with the Cleveland Indians. It's a minor league deal, per sources.
— Daniel รยlvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) July 1, 2021
It’s not on the transaction wire yet, but if it’s correct, then Ramos chose a team with a couple quality defensive options ahead of him (Austin Hedges, Rene Rivera), but where he could almost certainly get at bats in a variety of ways. And if the bat still plays, then, fine, I can’t blame him for going with an American League team.
… but surely the Cubs tried to lure him, right? They’ve gotta be DESPERATE to add a Ramos-caliber catcher directly to the roster as the new back-up, being that they are on their literal fifth back-up catcher option at the moment. Ramos has had injury issues, so he’s not a lock to contribute, but if he’s going to sign with an MLB team and at least become a possibility, it stings a little that it isn’t the Cubs.