On a brisk Monday, Heliot Ramos was gripped with a mix of nerves and excitement upon learning about his trade to the New York Yankees. Shaken by the news, he had a heartfelt conversation with his mother, Norma, who naturally shared his initial apprehension. Having only ever donned the San Francisco Giants’ colors—the team that drafted him—Norma’s anxiety was palpable. Ramos explained it was simply a part of the pro baseball business she wasn’t familiar with.
Ramos reassured his mother, urging her to stay calm. “It’s the Yankees,” he noted optimistically on Tuesday. “I’ll be just fine over there.”
At 26, Ramos is a rising star in Major League Baseball. An All-Star in 2024, his selection by the Yankees speaks volumes. The dynamic outfielder, taking up the cleanup spot and left field duties in his debut game, carries the hopes of contributing significantly to the Yankees’ season aspirations. Growing up in Puerto Rico, he watched the Yankees, which now adds to the thrill of joining them. Ramos has a season stat line boasting nine home runs and a .728 OPS, and though postseason play has eluded him thus far, he eagerly anticipates the chance to shine when it matters most.
“Winning is the goal,” Ramos declared, exuding confidence in his pinstriped uniform. “This is a team with momentum, and I’m excited to be a part of it, aiming for victory and postseason play.”
With the Yankees’ outfield currently missing stars like Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, Ramos finds himself with daily playing opportunities. This scenario could change once the roster is bolstered, but for now, manager Aaron Boone considers testing Ramos in right field, possibly slotting him into a platoon role. It’s a chance for Ramos to demonstrate his versatility and cement his place in the Bronx.
There’s a risk attached to Ramos. His defense, which he described Tuesday as decent, can be spotty. His numbers against right-handed pitchers (.256 batting average, .696 OPS) sit well below his numbers against lefties (.292, .835), but he said he can bring power to the lineup. He adjusted to the tough hitting conditions at Oracle Park and used it as a challenge, telling himself that if he could hit there, those results could apply at other ballparks.
He has recognized the magnitude of the situation with the Yankees, too. The franchise’s standards, Ramos said, are “super high.” But Ramos’ belief hasn’t wavered. He grew up watching Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit, grew up hearing stories about Bernie Williams from his dad, grew up feeling that his profile as a player fit the model of Andrew McCutchen.
And now, over the final two months of the season and anything that follows in the playoffs, he’ll have a chance to carve out a role of his own.
“I feel like every day I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna get four hits,” Ramos said. “Obviously it’s not that because it’s not like that every day. … At the end of the day, I’m a pretty confident guy. I’m gonna bring a lot to the table, I think, just with the type of mindset that I have, with the type of game, like, that I have.”