Trade Talk Tuesday's: Aramis Ramirez Returns to Pittsburgh

It is a reunion edition of Trade Talk Tuesday's as we look at the trade that brought a fan favorite back to Pittsburgh. After being traded away during the 2003 season, The Pirates brought back third baseman Aramis Ramirez as they were chasing a spot in the 2015 MLB Playoffs.

When many Pirates fans think of Aramis Ramirez, they think of one of the worst trades in team history. The Pirates sent Ramirez and teammate Kenny Lofton to the Chicago Cubs for Minor Leaguers Jose Hernandez, Matt Bruback and Bobby Hill. It was a trade that made the fan base furious because it was a clear salary dump and the guys that Pittsburgh got back did nothing for the Major League club. Fast forward the clock 12 years and the Pittsburgh Pirates found themselves in the 2015 playoff race, once again in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. They had just lost Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison for a significant amount of time and were trying to find a way to replace them. Jung Ho Kang stepped in at shortstop but that left a hole at third base.

That is when the Pirates made a move that got the fan base excited once again bringing back Aramis Ramirez in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. He may have only been a rental player and would retire after the season, but his presence alone would spark the fan base for the playoff run. Ramirez manned third base until Josh Harrison was healthy and then served as a power bat off the bench and a substitute at both third and first base. The Pirates only had to give up a Minor League pitcher and cash to swing the deal, giving up mid-level prospect Yohnathan Barrios, so they went ahead and pulled the trigger. Now, it is time to break down the trade and see if the Pirates or the Brewers got the better deal.

Pirates Get: IF Aramis Ramirez

When the Pirates traded for Aramis Ramirez during the 2015 season, it was almost a mutually beneficial move. The Pirates were looking for a solid option at third base, and Ramirez was getting up there in age looking to play for a contender. He got the chance to be right in the thick of the playoff race and was the starting third baseman for the Pirates for the better part of a month. It wasn't the best year of his career, but he performed well hitting .245 with six home runs and 33 RBI in 56 games with the Bucs. Even though his batting average was starting to decline, he still produced solid run production numbers and usually sat in the six-hole for the Pirates.

The one concern about bringing in Ramirez was whether or not he was going to be able to play third base as well as he did in his younger days. He cleared up those doubts very quickly, posting a .995 fielding percentage at third base in 48 games, 46 starts. He committed just five errors in just over 380 innings played and helped turn six double plays that season. He also helped out across the diamond when Harrison came back healthy and started a couple of games at first base. It was the first time in his career that he appeared at first base and he put up an average .933 fielding percentage. Ramirez would help the Pirates make the NL Wild Card Game that season, but the playoff run would be short as the Pirates fell 4-0.

The trade also offered a unique opportunity for Ramirez as it gave him a chance to end his career in the place it started. The Pirates signed Ramirez as an international free agent in 1998 and was finishing his career with the Pirates in 2015. He retired following the season and went out on a playoff-caliber team. However, the World Series ring still eluded him as he finished his career having never played in a World Series game. Despite that, he is a shoo-in for the hall of fame when he becomes eligible. Not many people get to start and end their careers on the same team, and Ramirez will always be remembered as one of the best Pirates International Signings.

Milwaukee Gets: RHP Yhonathan Barrios

Yhonathan Barrios's Milwaukee Brewers career lasted just one season in the Major Leagues during the 2015 season. He ended up throwing in 6.2 innings of work while not giving up a run and striking out seven batters. Opponents were hitting just .136 against the right-hander and it looked as though he would be a huge asset for the Brew Crew bullpen. He had good velocity and was showing no problems with control in his first five outings with the team. Barrios elected free agency at the end of the season, but the Brewers brought him back on a Minor League contract and were looking at him as a strong option for the bullpen.

However, he suffered what would turn out to be a career-ending injury during the 2016 MLB Spring Training. He would have to undergo surgery and would end up missing the entire 2016 season on recovery. Once he got back to full health, another injury during 2017 Spring Training shut him down for good and he would end up being released by the Milwaukee Brewers. Barrios has not appeared with an MLB team since that 2017 season and is still currently listed as a free agent. If it weren't for the shoulder surgery, Barrios might have gone on to be a solid pitcher in the Brewers bullpen. However, we will never know as it ended up being his downfall.

Winner: Pirates

The second time around, the Pirates got the Aramis Ramirez trade right! Neither Ramirez or Barrios played past the 2015 season on their respective teams, but the Pirates ultimately got more out of Ramirez than the Brewers did out of Barrios. The Pirates made it to the National League Wild Card Game in 2015 and were able to fill their hole at third base until Harrison was able to return. It may not have been the best numbers of Ramirez's career, but he played the role that the Pirates needed him to play and did it well. Also, it gave Ramirez the opportunity to retire with the team that he started with and I give the Pirates major props for that. It was a move that sparked the fan base, and was a low risk, high reward, move that sparked the Pirates to a playoff run.

That concludes this week's Trade Talk Tuesday! Remember to come back every week as we break down a Pirates trade looking at the good, the bad, and the ugly. Have a trade you want us to break down? Follow us on Facebook at Buccos Cove and comment on who you would like to see using the #TradeTalkTuesdays. As always thanks for supporting us at Buccos Cove and we hope you continue to enjoy Pirates Baseball coverage for however long we are without the sport we love.

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