Ramirez played in only one game for Cuba in the WBC, striking out in his only at-bat. He last played in the majors in 2016 with the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays. Baseball Reference has no record of him playing in any organized league since 2018, when he was with the Diablos Rojos in the Mexican League. The ITA said his sample contained metabolites of mesterolone, metandienone, oxandrolone and stanozolol, substances associated with promoting rapid muscle growth, increased strength and enhanced physical performance.
Ramirez has the right to challenge the provisional suspension. He was a member of the Cuban team that won gold at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. Ramirez immigrated to the Dominican Republic in 2007 before signing a four-year, $8 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. His best year was 2014 when he was an American League All-Star with a .273 average and .408 slugging percentage.