Ramirez began playing baseball in Rivas, Nicaragua when he was 4…his grandmother, Esperanza, encouraged him to play with the older boys and taught him how to pitch…his sister, Jannis, one year older, played baseball from ages 8 to 16…she played third base and pitched, and Erasmo says she was a better hitter than him....Erasmo was discovered as a 14-year-old by a former coach who was delivering much-needed equipment to underprivileged youth players in Nicaragua…that man helped Ramirez get accepted to a baseball academy in El Salvador- far away from his family-where he was scouted and signed by the Mariners…one piece of instruction he received at the academy was to stop smiling while he was pitching, because opposing hitters misinterpreted his tendency to smile at all times...His father, Erasmo, fought and was wounded in Nicaragua's civil war in the 1970s…both he and Ramirez's mother were trained accountants, but he worked as a security guard on the side while she sold cosmetics in order to bring more money home for the family...With Erasmo and Rule 5 selection Kevin Gadea, the Rays could become the second team in major league history with two Nicaraguan-born players on their active roster, following the 1977 Orioles which featured Dennis Martínez and Tony Chévez...He is the first Nicaraguan-born Rays player, one of 14 in major league history and the only one to make an Opening Day roster in 2016…he was named the Nicaraguan Athlete of the Year by the Instituto Nacional de Deportes in 2011 and 2013.
Made a team-leading 64 apps (1 start) in his first full season as a reliever…his 85 IP as a reliever led the American League, ranked 2nd in the majors behind Padres LH Brad Hand (89.1) and were most by a Rays pitcher since LH J.P. Howell (89.1) in 2008...His 11 losses as a reliever were the most by a major leaguer since LAA Scot Shields (11) in 2005 and set a club record, passing RH Brad Boxberger (10) in 2015…his 7 wins included 6 in relief, one shy of the club record for a reliever (last J.P. Howell in 2009)...His 17 decisions in relief were the most by a major league reliever since 2010, when WAS Tyler Clippard went 11-8...Led the majors with 35 relief apps of 4 outs or more, eight more than anyone else (HOU Chris Devenski, 27)…made 20 relief apps of at least 2 IP, tying BAL Vance Worley and Devenski for the major league lead...Yielded 14 HR, most among AL relievers and tying Brian Meadows (2006) and Travis Harper (2005) for the club record for a reliever...Allowed a pair of walk-off home runs, both at Yankee Stadium (Brett Gardner on April 23, Tyler Austin on Sep 8)…became the first pitcher to yield 2 walk-off HR to the Yankees in a season since DET Willie Hernandez in 1988...Nine of his 11 losses and 9 of his 14 HR allowed came on the road…went 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA (47.1-IP, 14-ER) at Tropicana Field...Began the season 4-0 over his first 6 apps (1 start), the first pitcher in club history with 4 wins through the team's first 15 games…the only other pitcher to do that in 2016 was CWS Chris Sale…also became the first Ray to earn 6 wins through the team's first 28 games...Made his only start on April 16 vs. CWS, a 7-2 Rays win…his line: W, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO...On June 2 at MIN, his bases-loaded HBP (Brian Dozier) plated the decisive run in a 6-4 loss…it was the third time in club history a bases-loaded HBP scored the decisive run in a loss (last May 4, 2006 vs. NYY, Shawn Camp)...Recorded his first career save on Aug 9 at TOR, retiring all 9 BF on 27 pitches…marked the fewest pitches for a 3-inning save (or longer) in club history…was the third pitcher in club history to record a save on 3 perfect innings, first since Roberto Hernández on Sep 3, 2013 at LAA (3.2 IP)…recorded another save in the season finale, Oct 2 at TEX, working a perfect 10th to preserve a 6-4 win.
In his first season with the Rays (and first full season in the majors) set career highs with 27 starts, 163.1 IP and 11 wins...his 11 victories finished one shy of Chris Archer for the team lead and tied Matt Garza (11-9 in 2008) for most by a Rays pitcher the season after he was acquired via trade...yielded 2 ER or fewer in 18 of his 27 starts, and 1 ER or fewer in 13 of 27… From April 19 through the end of the season he was one of the best pitchers in the AL, ranking among league leaders with a 3.02 ERA (4th), .223 opp avg. (4th), .274 opp OBP (3rd), .344 opp SLG (4th) and 1.04 WHIP (2nd)...his ERA stood at 25.31 (5.1-IP, 15-ER) after his first 2 apps, prior to April 19… His 11-6 record (.647) tied for the 10th-best winning pct. in the AL...his 6-1 (.857) record on the road led the AL, ranked 2nd in the majors to CHC Jake Arrieta (13-1, .929) and ranked 2nd in club history to Matt Moore in 2013 (10-1, .909)...his only road loss came in his first road start (April 15 at TOR)...was unbeaten (6-0) in 13 road starts after that, the longest road un-beaten streak in Rays history (prev. 10 by Alex Cobb in 2014)…Led all AL pitchers with a .193 opp avg. and .255 opp OBP against left-handed batters (min. 200 BF)...both of these marks ranked 2nd in Rays history behind LH David Price's Cy Young 2012 season (.171 avg., .227 OBP)… Had 5 starts in which he allowed 2 hits or fewer, tied for the AL lead with six others, including teammates Chris Archer and Nathan Karns...allowed 2 hits or fewer only twice in 35 career starts with Seattle…When receiving 2 runs or more of run support (19 starts), he was 11-1 with a 3.07 ERA (105.2-IP, 36-ER)...received 1 or fewer runs of support in 8 starts, going 0-5 with a 4.53 ERA (45.2-IP, 23-ER)…According to PITCHf/x data, his changeup accounted for 23.1 pct. of his pitches, 9th-highest rate in the majors...41.3 pct. of his strikeouts (52 of 126) came with the changeup...has thrown 811 changeups since last yielding a home run with the pitch (April 17, 2014 at TEX, Shin-Soo Choo)…Averaged only 14.75 pitches per inning, 3rd fewest in the AL behind TOR Mark Buehrle (14.24) and CLE Corey Kluber (14.74)...in Rays history, only James Shields (2011, 2008) and David Price (2013) have matched that mark...on Aug 11 vs. ATL, threw 70 pitches over 7 scoreless innings to beat Williams Perez...the game featured only 182 combined pitches-fewest in any 9-inning game since July 24, 2002, when DET Jose Lima beat KC Paul Byrd, 3-0 (181)…Lowered his walk rate from 4.06 BB/9 IP (2014) to 2.20 BB/9 IP...his 9 starts without a walk fell one shy of David Price's 2013 club record…In his first 2 games for the Rays (April 10 at MIA in relief, April 15 at TOR start), he totaled 5.1 IP, 15 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 6 BB, 6 SO...his 7 runs allowed on April 10 tied Brian Meadows (April 5, 2006 at BAL) for most ever in a Rays debut, and were most by a Rays reliever since Gary Glover on July 10, 2008 at CLE (7)...became the first Rays pitcher ever to allow 7-plus runs in each of his first 2 outings with the team…Moved into the starting rotation for good on May 14 and went 11-5 with a 3.13 ERA (144-IP, 50-ER) in 25 starts thereafter...led the Rays in wins during that span…Allowed 2 runs or fewer in 9 straight starts, May 30-July 18, tied with Drew Smyly (2014-15) for the 2nd-longest streak in franchise history behind Alex Cobb (12 in 2014)…Held the Yankees to a .085 batting avg. (6-for-71), the lowest mark in major league history among qualifying pitchers...went 2-0 with a 1.19 ERA (22.2-IP, 6-H, 3-R/ER) in 6 apps, 3 starts against the Yankees...became the first Nicaraguan to beat the Yankees twice in the same season, with a 6-1 win on May 14 at home (5-IP, 1-H, 0-R) and an 8-1 victory on July 5 at Yankee Stadium (6-IP, 3-H, 1-R)…In a no-decision Sep 14 vs. NYY, lost a no-hit bid when Carlos Beltran led off the 8th inning with a single...became the sixth pitcher in Rays history to carry a no-hitter into the 8th inning, first since Alex Cobb on Sep 11, 2014 at NYY (7.1 hitless)...his line: ND, 7.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 98 pitches, 62 strikes...Rays eventually fell, 4-1…In September, led the majors with a 14.00 SO/BB ratio (28-SO, 2-BB) and 0.59 BB/9 IP (30.2-IP, 2-BB)...from Sep 14-24, made 3 consecutive starts of 7-plus innings for the first time of his career…Acquired from Seattle a week before Opening Day for LH Mike Montgomery...came to Mariners camp out of options, while competing with Taijuan Walker and Roenis Elias for a rotation spot...Erasmo went 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA (13-IP, 9-ER) in 5 apps, 4 starts in Mariners camp.
Went 1-6 with a 5.26 ERA (44 ER, 75.1 IP) in 17 G/14 GS... Ended the season with a 6-game losing streak…after winning season debut, went 0-6,5.53 over final 16 appearances... Had 7 separate stints with the Mariners: Opening Day-April 23, May 7, June 3-25, July 22, Aug. 10, Aug. 27 and Sept. 2-end of the season... Recorded career-high scoreless streak of 19.2 innings June 3-24... Allowed career-high 10 runs and 9 hits in 3.0 innings Aug. 27 vs. Texas... Earned win in his season debut April 1 at LAA (7.0,6,2,2,0,6,HR)... Went 6-5 with a 3.65 ERA (35 ER, 86.1 IP) in 15 G/14 GS with Triple-A Tacoma... Went 4-1, 2.45 ERA (7 ER, 25.2 IP) over last 5 G/4 GS with the Rainiers... Pitched for Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League…went 2-0, 0.30 ERA (1 ER, 30.0 IP) with 22 strikeouts in 5 starts…opened with 26.0 consecutive scoreless innings.
Went 5-3 with a 4.98 ERA (40 ER, 72.1 IP) in 14 G/13 GS over two stints with the Mariners. Made his first start of the season at the Major League level July 11 vs. the Red Sox…recorded a ND in Mariners 7-8 loss in 10 innings (4.2,6,7,7,4,4,HR). Career-high 4-game win streak July 23-Aug. 13, going 4-0 with a 5.84 ERA (16 ER, 24.2 IP) over 5 G/4 GS… had a 7.30 run support average during this stretch. Averaged 3.24 walks per 9.0 innings (26 BB), compared to his rookie rate of 1.83 BB/9.0 IP in 2012 (12 BB in 59.0 IP). Allowed at least one home run in 9 of 13 starts…allowed only 6 home runs in 16 G/8 GS as a rookie in 2012. Recalled from AAA Tacoma on July 11 and optioned to Short-A Everett on July 12 (to make starts on normal rest). Started the season on the minor league DL (April 11-May 28) with right triceps tendinitis. One of four Nicaraguan-born players to appear in MLB during the season…also: Everth Cabrera - SD, Wilton Lopez - COL, J.C. Ramirez - PHI. Pitched for Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League (3-1, 2.86 ERA, 6 GS).
