Ramón Hernández

Lore & Background

Hernández made his MLB debut with Oakland on June 29, 1999, as a backup catcher for A. J. Hinch. He became known as a catcher who could hit, mentor young pitchers and had steady defense. In 2003, he broke out with his best season, hitting .273 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI and made his first All-Star Game. His most memorable moment as an Athletic came in Game 1 of the 2003 ALDS against the Boston Red Sox, when he bunted down the third base line with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning to score Eric Chavez and win the game. After the 2003 season, Oakland traded him to the San Diego Padres. In both 2004 and 2005, Hernández battled injuries. He finished the 2004 season with a .276 batting average, 18 home runs, and 63 RBI in 111 games. In 2005, he hit .290 with 12 home runs and 58 RBI in 99 games. On December 8, 2005, he agreed to a four-year, $27.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on December 9, 2008. On November 30, 2011, he signed a two-year contract with the Colorado Rockies. On April 6, 2013, the Rockies traded Hernández and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Aaron Harang. He was designated for assignment on June 14, 2013, and released on June 22. He later signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on June 30, 2013, and was released on July 9. He signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals on January 7, 2014, and opted out on March 23. On December 20, 2022, he was hired by the Oakland Athletics as a staff assistant/interpreter.