Angels Re-Sign AJ Ramos To Minor League Deal
ANAHEIM (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have struck a deal with relief pitcher AJ Ramos, who agreed to terms on a minor league deal Friday afternoon.
The deal, which comes with an invitation to Spring Training set to begin on Sunday, is the second such contract that Ramos has signed with the club, after doing the same prior to the start of the 2021 season.
Though once regarded to be well above average arm out of the bullpen, Ramos' career took a sudden downturn in 2018 when he was side-railed by a shoulder injury. The injury would mire the entirety of both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, which in turn led to the recent string of Minor League deals that he has had to settle for.
Since the injury, Ramos has toed the mound just seven times in two seasons, making three appearances for the Colorado Rockies in 2020 and four appearances for the Angels in 2021.
Over the course of his entire career, Ramos has compiled 99 saves in 119 chances, sporting a 3.04 ERA and 430 strikeouts in 373.1 innings pitched. He earned an All-Star berth in 2016 as a member of the Miami Marlins, when he earned 40 saves for the ball club.
It remains to be seen what the Angels expect out of the 35-year-old veteran, especially considering the shaky performance he put together in AAA in 2021, when he had a 5.26 ERA over 42 appearances. However, his strikeout totals were high, as he sat down 76 batters in those 53.0 innings pitched.