Alex Ramírez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alex Ramírez
Ramirez celebrating his 2000 career hits in 2013
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1974-10-03) 3 October 1974 (age 50) Caracas, Venezuela
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: 19 September, 1998, for the Cleveland Indians
NPB: 30 March, 2001, for the Yakult Swallows
Last appearance
MLB: 27 September, 2000, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
NPB: 8 October, 2013, for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
MLB statistics
Batting average	.259
Hits	86
Home runs	12
Runs batted in	48
NPB statistics
Batting average	.301
Hits	2,017
Home runs	380
Runs batted in	1,272
Teams
As a player: Cleveland Indians (1998–2000) Pittsburgh Pirates (2000) Yakult Swallows/Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2001–2007) Yomiuri Giants (2008–2011) Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2012–2013) As manager: Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2016–2020)
Career highlights and awards
NPB 2× Central League MVP (2008-2009) 8× NPB All-Star (2002–2003,2007–2012) 2× Japan Series champion (2001, 2009) 2008 CLCS MVP 4× Best Nine Award (2003,2007–2009) Central League batting champion (2009) 3× Central League RBI Leader (2003, 2007, 2008) Central League home run leader (2003)
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2023

Alexander Ramón Ramírez Quiñónez, born on October 3, 1974, is a famous baseball player from Venezuela. People often call him Ramichan. He played as an outfielder for many years in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. He was the first player not born in Japan to get 2,000 hits in NPB history. In 2023, he was honored by being added to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

Before playing in Japan, Alex Ramírez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1998 to 2000 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2000. After his playing career, he became a manager for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars from 2016 to 2020.

Alex Ramírez's Baseball Journey

Alex Ramírez had an exciting career playing and managing baseball. He started in the United States before becoming a star in Japan.

Playing in Major League Baseball

Ramírez first joined the Cleveland Indians in July 1991. This was when he signed as an international free agent. In 1995, he played in one spring training game for Cleveland. He was named the team's best minor league player in 1998.

He made his first appearance in MLB with Cleveland in 1998. In July 2000, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. During his three seasons in MLB, Ramírez had a batting average of .259. He hit 12 home runs and had 48 runs batted in (RBI). He played in 135 games overall.

Becoming a Star in Japanese Baseball

After the 2000 season, Ramírez moved to Japan. He signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and played for them from 2001 to 2007. He was a very important player for the team. In his last year with the Swallows, he set a new record. He got 204 hits in one season in the Central League.

In 2008, Ramírez joined the Yomiuri Giants. He quickly became a top player for his new team. That year, he led the Central League with 125 RBI. He also hit 45 home runs. At the end of the 2008 season, Ramírez won the Central League MVP Award. He was only the third Venezuelan player to win this award in Japan.

On April 6, 2013, Ramírez made history. He hit a home run that gave him his 2,000th career hit in NPB. He was the 42nd player and the first foreign-born player to reach this amazing goal. This achievement also earned him a spot in the Meikyukai. This is a special club for Japan's best baseball players. He was the first player from a Western country to join this club.

Playing and Coaching in the Baseball Challenge League

In 2014, Ramírez became a player-coach for the Gunma Diamond Pegasus. This team is in Japan's Baseball Challenge League. He played in 45 games, hitting .305 with 7 home runs. After the 2014 season, he retired from playing. He then became a senior director for the Diamond Pegasus.

Managing the Yokohama BayStars

In 2015, Ramírez started working as an advisor for the Orix Buffaloes. He helped younger players improve their skills. In October 2015, he was chosen to be the manager for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

In his first year as manager in 2016, his team finished third in the Central League. They made it to the Climax Series. The BayStars won against the Yomiuri Giants in the first round. In his second year, the BayStars reached the 2017 Japan Series. They played against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks but lost the series. Ramírez continued to manage the team until the end of the 2020 season.

Ramírez also started and coached a team called Japan Breeze. This team played in the 2025 Caribbean Series.

Career Statistics

Ramirez playing in 2012.

Alex Ramírez had an impressive career in Japanese baseball. Here are some of his statistics:

Statistics are from November 21, 2014.

Ramirez in 2012.

Life Outside Baseball

In February 2013, Alex Ramírez and his family opened a restaurant in Tokyo. It was called Ramichan Cafe and served food from Puerto Rico. The restaurant has since closed.

Ramírez has also talked about his faith. He believes that God has a plan for his life, whether he plays baseball or not. In January 2019, Ramírez became a Japanese citizen.

See also

In Spanish: Álex Ramírez para niños

• List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela