Retired MLB superstar Manny Ramirez is considering a return to baseball in Taiwan at the age of 47.
Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League is one of the few professional sports competitions still running during the Covid-19 pandemic. The five-team league started earlier this month and live audiences are not allowed into the stands. Games are streamed live and free internationally on clubs’ Twitter feeds.
Ramirez, who turns 48 next month, told the Taiwan Times he would like to return in a player-coach role.
“I have been itching to get back in the batter’s box and be able to compete again,” he said. “I also miss being around teammates and team dinners post-game. I know if I was given the opportunity to come in an organization as a player-coach, it would do great things for the organization and the league.”
The outfielder played in the CPBL in 2013 and pointed out the interest his last appearance had attracted. “When I arrived in 2013, attendances nearly quadrupled overnight,” he said. “That means there is love for the game and the fans will come but the owners must bring what the fans want.”
Ramirez was an All-Star 12 times during an MLB career that stretched from 1993 to 2011, and he helped the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles. However, his reputation was tarnished by two drug suspensions, in 2009 and 2011.
