Manny Ramirez Making A Comeback In Japan
TOKYO (AP/CBS) — Former major league outfielder Manny Ramirez has agreed to terms with the Kochi Fighting Dogs of Japan's independent Shikoku Island League.
The team announced the signing Monday on its official website.
The 44-year-old native of the Dominican Republic played for the EDA Rhinos of Chinese Professional Baseball in Taiwan in 2013, hitting .352 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs.
The four-team independent league is based in Shikoku, the smallest and least populous of Japan's four main islands.
Ramirez had a 19-season major league career with a lifetime average of .312 with 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs. He won a pair of World Series Championships during his eight seasons with the Boston Red Sox, winning series MVP of Boston's four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004.
Ramirez last played professional baseball in 2014, suiting up for the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate while also serving as a hitting consultant.
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