Aramis Nin Ramírez (; born June 25, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman, who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers. He was named an All-Star three times during his career.
He started his professional career with the Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs. On December 12, 2011, he signed a three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. On July 23, 2015, he was traded back to Pittsburgh exactly 12 years after they first traded him, where he would finish the remainder of his final season.
On November 7, 1994, Ramírez signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. On May 26, 1998, he made his major league debut with the Pirates, becoming the youngest player in MLB at that time.
Ramírez struggled in his first three seasons, splitting playing time between the Pirates and Triple-A Nashville Sounds. Playing with the Pirates for an entire season for the first time in 2001, Ramírez hit .300 with 34 home runs. In 2002, his batting performance dipped to .234 with 18 home runs.
Ramírez was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 23, 2003 with outfielder Kenny Lofton for José Hernández, Matt Bruback and a player to be named later (The Cubs sent Bobby Hill on August 15, 2003 to complete the trade). Ramírez finished the 2003 season strong in Chicago, though he led the majors with 33 errors at third base. He had the lowest fielding percentage of all Major League third basemen with .929. The Cubs made the playoffs and defeated the Atlanta Braves before being beaten by the eventual World Series champions Florida Marlins in the seven-game 2003 National League Championship Series. During the first inning of Game 4 of the NLCS, Ramírez hit the first playoff grand slam in Cubs history off Marlins starter Dontrelle Willis. Ramírez finished the series with three home runs, seven RBIs, and one triple.
On September 16, 2004, Ramírez became the 14th player in Major League history to have two different games with three home runs in a season. On defense, his range factor of 2.26 was the lowest among all Major League third basemen.
In 2005, he was elected to play in his first All-Star Game. Ramírez finished the season on the disabled list, after straining his quadriceps femoral muscle on August 24. He finished the season with 31 home runs and 92 RBIs.
In 2006, Ramírez hit 38 home runs and 119 RBIs. He collected his 1,000th hit on July 15 versus the New York Mets. On defense, his range factor of 2.41 was the lowest among Major League third basemen for the third straight year. After the season, he was listed as being potentially the biggest free agent in the market. Ramírez elected to stay with the Cubs, agreeing to a five-year, $73 million contract on November 12, 2006.
Ramírez hit his 200th career home run, off Claudio Vargas, on April 23, 2007. On June 29, 2007, Ramírez had one of the best games of his career, in which he went 3-for-5, highlighted by ending a crucial game against the Milwaukee Brewers with a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning off pitcher, Francisco Cordero to cap a five-run comeback win. Many Cub fans saw this game as the best comeback win of the season, which also sparked a new rivalry with the Brewers.
The Cubs won the 2007 National League Central division. Ramírez finished the season with 101 RBIs, which led the team. He finished second on the Cubs in home runs (26) and batting average (.310). The divisional title came only after battling it out with Milwaukee for the final month of September. Ramírez made strides to improve his defensive game in 2007, as he lowered his error total and improved his range factor for the third consecutive year. Aramis Ramírez hit the longest home run of the season on 9/21/07, at 495 feet.
On June 20, in the bottom of the ninth inning, during the first game of the 2008 Crosstown Classic against the Chicago White Sox, Ramírez hit his 2nd home run of the day for a walk off. He went on to homer in each of the next two games in that series.
On July 7, Ramírez was selected to play in the All-Star Game as a reserve. Prior to Game 4 of the World Series, Ramírez was awarded the Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performer in the National League. Ramírez finished the season with the lowest range factor (2.16) of all major league third basemen.
Ramírez got off to a quick start in 2009 with five RBIs during the Cubs' opening series against the Houston Astros. His first-inning homer in the season opener off Roy Oswalt was the 250th of his career. On April 18 against the St. Louis Cardinals, he hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning.
On May 8, Ramírez dislocated his left shoulder while fielding a ground ball in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Ramirez began the season fairly slowly, batting .168 with five home runs and 22 RBIs through his first 47 games before landing on the 15-day disabled list on June 9 with a bruised thumb. Infielder Chad Tracy was recalled from the Iowa Cubs to replace Ramirez.
Ramirez returned to the starting lineup on June 25 in Chicago against the White Sox. On defense, in 2010 he had the lowest fielding percentage among major league third baseman, at .939.
Ramirez activated his $14 million option on November 3, 2010 to stay with the Cubs for the 2011 season.
On June 27, 2011, Ramirez and teammate Carlos Peña homered twice in a 7–3 win over the Colorado Rockies. Ramirez and Pena both hit a two-run home run and a solo home run each.