Ramirez (elbow) has been cleared to begin working toward throwing from a mound, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Ramirez continues to work his way back from a damaged UCL that cost him the final six weeks of the 2017 season. He underwent stem-cell therapy in an attempt to heal the issue without surgery, and a recent evaluation showed continued healing of his elbow. The 29-year-old has now been cleared to begin working toward throwing off a mound, though a concrete timetable for his return remains unclear. Ramirez will be worth keeping an eye on as the season approaches; he posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 147.1 innings last season and should compete for a rotation spot when healthy.