Nationals select Ramírez, Lipscomb to Rochester

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of outfielder Harold Ramírez and optioned infielder Trey Lipscomb to Triple-A Rochester on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. 

Ramírez, 29, set career highs in hits (125), home runs (12), RBI (68), walks (22), runs (58), steals (5), batting average (.313), on base percentage (353), slugging percentage (.460) and OPS (.813) for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023.

Ramírez leads all of Major League Baseball with a .339 batting average against left-handed pitchers since 2020. In 2023, he led the American League and was second in Major League Baseball (min. 100 AB) with a .387 batting average against left-handed pitching. He also went 11-for-21 (.524) and led Major League Baseball with 10 RBI as a pinch hitter in 2023.

The Cartagena, Colombia, native signed with the Nationals as a Minor League free agent on June 15 and reported to Triple-A Rochester after having hit .268 with three doubles, a homer, 13 RBI, three walks, five stolen bases and 21 runs scored for Tampa Bay this season. In seven games for the Red Wings, Ramírez hit .375 (9-for-24) with a double, four RBI, six walks and a run scored. He had multi-hit performances in four of the seven games.

A veteran of six Major League seasons with Miami (2019-20), Cleveland (2021) and Tampa Bay (2022-24), Ramirez is a career .287 hitter with 87 doubles, six triples, 37 home runs, 231 RBI, 77 walks, 18 stolen bases and 214 runs scored in 511 games. 

Lipscomb, 24, hit .237 with a double, one home run, nine RBI, 11 walks, 10 stolen bases and 16 runs scored in three Major League stints this season.