Padres, Ramirez finalize 1-year, $4M contract

SAN DIEGO - Shortstop Alexei Ramirez and the San Diego Padres have finalized a one-year, $4-million contract,

The 34-year-old gets a $3-million salary this season under the deal announced Friday, which includes a $4-million mutual option for 2017 with a $1-million buyout.

If he has 550 plate appearances, it would become a $4.5-million option and the buyout will rise to $1.25 million, and if he has 600 plate appearances, the option will rise to $5 million. If he has 650 plate appearances, it would become a $5.5-million option with a $1.5-million buyout.

The buyout will also escalate to $1.5 million if he is traded.

"He plays, he has that track record, he loves to play. You look at the back of his baseball card, it's 144 games most years," Padres general manager A.J. Preller told reporters on Friday. "That was definitely part of it. We know what we're getting into.

"As we looked at it, he's got a track record, played on good teams, been an All-Star, a Silver Slugger. His second half is something we looked at."

An All-Star in 2014, Ramirez dropped to a .249 average with 10 homers and 62 RBIs last season. He had spent his entire eight-year big-league career with the Chicago White Sox, batting .273 with 109 homers and 542 RBIs.

Upgrading at shortstop was one of San Diego's top offseason needs. Alexi Amarista made 78 starts there last season, and Clint Barmes 51.

To clear a roster sport, San Diego designated outfielder Rymer Liriano for assignment.

- With files from theScore