Padres Sign Former Cardinals, Braves Pitcher Ahead of NLDS vs Brewers

The Padres are always looking for ways to improve the organization.

Jun 30, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Roel Ramirez (77) pitches during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres are currently focused on the National League Division Series, where they're facing off against the Milwaukee Brewers.

That doesn't mean the organization can't also look ahead to the 2027 season, though.

In between the wild-card series and NLDS, the Padres signed free agent right-handed pitcher Roel Ramirez to a minor league deal, per the team's transaction log on MLB.com.

Ramirez, 31, hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was last a part of an MLB organization in 2023, when he was with the Atlanta Braves.

Ramirez was initially drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of United South High School in Texas.

He spent five-plus years with the Rays, reaching as high as Double-A before being traded to the Cardinals ahead of the 2018 trade deadline.

Ramirez reached Triple-A in 2019, and was ranked as the Cardinals' No. 25 prospect in 2020. That year, he made his MLB debut, allowing six runs on six hits while recording two outs in a disastrous game against the Chicago White Sox.

He became the first pitcher in MLB history to allow four consecutive home runs in his major league debut.

Ramirez was designated for assignment but re-signed with the Cardinals after the season. He made another MLB appearance in 2021, allowing three runs on three hits while recording just one out.

He hasn't been back at the MLB level since, leaving his ERA at 81.00.

Since 2021, Ramirez spent time with the New York Mets and Braves organization. He's also played in the Mexican League, the Puerto Rican Winter League and the Caribbean Series.

In 2026, Ramirez was on Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He also played for Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League, finishing with a 1.76 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 46 innings of work.

That was clearly enough for the Padres to give him an opportunity on a minor league deal. At 31 years old, Ramirez still has plenty of time to get back to MLB and lower his career 81.00 ERA.

It's possible that opportunity comes with the Padres next season. It's possible he gets released before spring training.

Either way, he's now a member of the Padres organization, and will look to make an impact in some way come 2027.

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