Heliot Ramos is set to begin a new chapter of his baseball career with the New York Yankees, having been traded from the San Francisco Giants. The outfielder, who made his second consecutive Opening Day start for the Giants this season and was their longest-tenured position player, expressed pride and excitement about joining the iconic Yankees organization.
"If they traded for me, it’s because they want me," Ramos said. "I’m very proud I’m with the Yankees at the end of the day. That’s an organization that as a kid, in Puerto Rico, everybody knows about and everybody wants to play for. So I’m happy for this new chapter."
Ramos, drafted 19th overall by the Giants in 2017, had become a notable homegrown player for the franchise. His time with the Giants saw him become the first left fielder to start on Opening Day since Barry Bonds two decades prior. However, his defense had not fully recovered from a difficult 2025, and his offense did not consistently reach the heights of his All-Star debut season.
The trade sees Ramos, who will turn 27 soon, move to a team he grew up watching. He also expressed eagerness to connect with Yankees stars like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
"I can’t wait to hear from Judge," Ramos said. "He’s one of the best hitters this game has. I need all the tips I can get. [Giancarlo] Stanton, all those guys. It’s gonna be fun, for sure, talking to them and all that."
In Puerto Rico, the Yankees hold significant cultural sway, a sentiment Ramos acknowledged. "In Puerto Rico, 'everybody in Puerto Rico loves the Yankees,'" he stated.
According to reports, Ramos' name had been circulating in trade rumors leading up to the deadline as the Giants moved to acquire new talent. The Yankees had reportedly been scouting him heavily. Given the Giants' depth in the outfield and at designated hitter, coupled with Ramos' value as an established right-handed hitter with power and three years of team control, he became a viable trade chip.
The Giants reportedly received two players in return: Kaeden Kent and left-handed pitcher Henry LaLane. Kent, son of Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, is hitting .302 with a .792 OPS in High-A and possesses a swing that the Giants organization admires. LaLane, considered the Yankees' No. 5 overall prospect by MLB.com, is a 6-foot-7 pitcher with a 2.77 ERA in 16 appearances this season, striking out 98 batters in 78 innings. This trade was part of a larger player movement for the Giants, who also traded reliever Erik Miller to the Red Sox for Marcelo Mayer.