Red Sox' Ramirez Undergoes Shoulder Surgery; Rodriguez Out 6 Months After Knee Reconstruction
BOSTON (CBS) -- Red Sox DH Hanley Ramirez and lefty Eduardo Rodriguez are on the mend this offseason.
While Ramirez is expected to be ready for the 2018 season, Rodriguez will have a much longer recovery from Tuesday's procedure.
Ramirez underwent left shoulder surgery on Tuesday, breaking the news himself on Twitter. In the post, he vows that he's "coming back stronger in '18."
The Red Sox released a statement shortly after saying the surgery was a success, and they expect Ramirez to be ready for the 2018 season.
In addition, the Red Sox also announced that Rodriguez won't pitch again for another six months after the lefty underwent a right knee patellofemoral ligament reconstruction on Tuesday. That would likely put his return to the mound with the Red Sox around next May or June.
Rodriguez was limited to 24 starts (and 25 appearances) in 2017, going 6-7 with a 4.19 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. He made just one appearance in the 2017 postseason, allowing a hit and two runs without recording an out against the Houston Astros in the ALDS.
Ramirez was bothered by the shoulder throughout the 2017 season, limiting him to mostly serve as Boston's DH (he played 17 games at first base). After clubbing 30 homers and driving in 111 runs in 2016, Ramirez's numbers went down to 23 and 62, respectively, last season. He hit just .242 at the plate and saw his OPS drop to .750 in 133 games in 2017.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old has one more year remaining on the four-year, $88 million deal he signed with Boston in 2014, with a vesting option for $22 million for the 2019 season.
Over the last three seasons, Ramirez has played in 385 of a possible 486 games, slashing .261/.328/.457 with 72 homers, 226 RBIs and 307 strikeouts. He's hit .423 with five RBIs in seven playoffs games, hitting .573 in Boston's four-game loss to the Astros in the 2017 ALDS.
