Shortstop Alexei Ramirez will don a new uniform in 2016 for the first time in his eight-year MLB career after signing with the San Diego Padres in free agency Thursday.
The deal will span one year, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Financial terms have not yet been disclosed. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports confirmed the report.
Bleacher Report's Scott Miller broke down the motivation behind San Diego's move:
The 34-year-old veteran has spent his entire career with the Chicago White Sox to this point, but after the organization decided to exercise a $1 million buyout rather than pick up his $10 million option, he hit the open market.
Ramirez made the All-Star team for the first time in 2014, as he hit .273 with 15 home runs and 74 RBI, but he failed to build on that fantastic season.
In 2015, Ramirez hit .249 and posted an on-base percentage of .285, both of which were career lows. He did hit 10 homers and drive in 62 runs, however, and his production picked up in the second half of the season, as he hit .277.
In his White Sox tenure, Ramirez was a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and by and large a defensive stalwart.
Ramirez made it clear that he wanted to return to the team in 2016 and beyond, per Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.
"It's kind of tough because I have been here for eight years, and I like this team," Ramirez said. "I like all of the people who work here. They're like my family. I don't want to even think about being on another team. I want to be here, and I want to finish my career here."
Even though Ramirez had clearly grown attached to the only MLB organization he had ever known, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago speculated the Cuban infielder would be more willing to sign elsewhere after seeing the high demand for quality shortstops in free agency.
Hayes proved prophetic, which leaves Chicago with a hole at the shortstop position for the first time in many years.
The White Sox have an elite shortstop prospect coming up through the system in Tim Anderson, but the 22-year-old 2013 first-round pick may still be a year or two away from becoming a full-time starter.
Ramirez would have been a viable stopgap until then, but the White Sox knew they were taking the risk of losing him when they decided against picking up his option.
It will be odd to see Ramirez in a new locale in 2016, but complacency tends to creep in when players are in one place for too long, so perhaps changing teams will be the best thing for him moving forward.
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