Hanley Ramirez signs four-year deal with Red Sox

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, shortstop Hanley Ramirez has agreed to sign with the Boston Red Sox. The deal is said to be worth $88 million over four years plus a vesting fifth-year option worth $22 million.

Known for being the centerpiece in the Red Sox-Marlins blockbuster that sent Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston, Ramirez burst onto the scene with a Rookie of the Year campaign in 2006 for the Florida Marlins. He would follow that up with three more All-Star seasons before getting traded to the Dodgers as part of Jeffrey Loria's infamous fire sale in 2012. He's struggled to stay on the field since but has remained a key part in the middle of the Los Angeles lineup when healthy, as evidenced by his .299/.368/.506 line over three seasons with the team.

A career .300/.373/.500 hitter, Ramirez will bring instant offense to the Red Sox lineup. Despite his suspect defense, Ramirez's impact bat should more than make up for that, especially in an offense-thin free agent market. If the Red Sox play Ramirez at short, incumbent Xander Bogearts may be on the trading block soon.

Ramirez rejected a qualifying offer from the Dodgers earlier in the offseason, which mean L.A. will obtain a sandwich pick at the end of the first round of the 2015 draft. The Red Sox will lose their second-round pick, as their top pick (No. 7 overall) is protected.