Segura replacing Ramirez on Dominican Republic's WBC roster

The Dominican Republic has found its replacement for Hanley Ramirez for the World Baseball Classic, as Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura will take his place on the 28-man roster, general manager Moises Alou confirmed on Thursday.

The Boston Red Sox are being cautious with Ramirez after the 33-year-old began experiencing shoulder tightness, leading to his decision to pull out of the tournament. The Dominican Republic also recently lost the services of top St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Alex Reyes, who underwent Tommy John surgery in February.

Segura joins a team looking to repeat its 2013 WBC championship. The talented 26-year-old was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Mariners in the offseason after a career year in 2016 where he combined to hit .319/.368/.499 in 153 games with 20 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases.