Hanley Ramirez Eyed In Federal Investigation: Report

BOSTON, MA — Former Boston Red Sox slugger Hanley Ramirez may be in serious trouble with the law, according to a new report. Following a few days of whispers and murmurs, Michele McPhee, a former Boston reporter now with ABC News, reports that Ramirez is being eyed in connection with an ongoing federal and state investigation.

Ramirez's agent Adam Katz told Fox's Ken Rosenthal Ramirez is not aware of an investigation. "Hanley has no knowledge of any of the allegations contained in this media report and he is not aware of any investigation."

McPhee's local reporting credentials are well known. She was one of the first to report in 2013 that a warrant for the arrest of Aaron Hernandez was being prepared.

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The report follow vague hints from some Boston media members that a big story concerning Ramirez was on the way. Red Sox spokesperson Kevin Gregg told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe that the team is not aware of an investigation involving Ramirez.

The Red Sox shocked the baseball world when they essentially cut him in late May. The team said the move was strictly a baseball decision, despite him possessing one of the more feared right-handed bats in the American League when he's locked in. Many speculated they were hoping to avoid paying his expensive contract option for next season.

Since then no team has picked the 34-year-old up, even though he could be had for cheap since the Red Sox are paying him $22 million this year.

Ramirez signed with the Red Sox in 2000 as an international free agent but didn't make his debut with the team until 2005. Following time with the Miami Marlins and L.A. Dodgers, he returned to Boston in 2015.

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