In part of the transition from left fielder to first baseman, the Boston Red Sox want Hanley Ramirez to drop some weight.
"To be an infielder, you have to be a little more agile," interm manager Torey Lovullo said via the Boston Herald. "(But) it's all from a health standpoint, all for getting through a season and not having those aches and pains that a big body has. We all know when you carry extra weight it puts more stress on your joints. I think that's the main reason why."
As the Boston Herald notes, "a little more agile" translates to 15-20 pounds to be shed by Ramirez, according to Lovullo.
Hanley reported to spring training this season at 240 pounds.
"We're not picking on Hanley as an organization," Lovullo said. "These are all very common conversations we have with guys. We set up goals for what you need to look like when you come to spring training. I know sometimes he's an easy target, but this is not the case. We're trying to do the best thing for Hanley, and this is what we outlined."
Ramirez struggled with the transition to the outfield in his first full season with Red Sox. He finished the season hitting .249 with 19 home runs in 105 games.
