KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan - Former MLB star Manny Ramirez has signed a short-term contract to play in Taiwan's professional baseball league.
The EDA Rhinos said Ramirez will earn $25,000 a month to appear with the team during this year's March-November season.
Ramirez appeared at a news conference in the Rhinos home town of Kaohsiung on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old right-handed hitter hit the big time with the Boston Red Sox and was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2004 World Series. He subsequently played with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, before landing with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011. He was suspended from the Rays for using performance enhancing drugs - his second drug-related ban.
In 2012 Ramirez hit .302 for Oakland's Triple-A Sacramento affiliate but his contract was not renewed.