Kramer retired from professional baseball after he was released by the Brewers last August, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
A 2015 second-round pick of the Pirates, Kramer appeared in 43 games with the big club between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, slashing a collective .152/.222/.165 over 90 plate appearances. He then spent the next season and a half in Pittsburgh's minor-league system before he was dealt to Milwaukee last July. Even though he got on base at a .379 clip during his time at Triple-A Nashville, Milwaukee ultimately elected to release him just over a month after acquiring him. Rather than pursuing work with another organization or in a foreign league, the 28-year-old instead elected to hang up his cleats and start his own solar power firm.
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Brewers' Kevin Kramer: Dealt to Milwaukee
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Kramer was traded from the Pirates to the Brewers on Sunday in exchange for left-hander Nathan Kirby, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports.
Kramer had a slim chance to break camp with the Pirates this spring, but he was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the year. He hit .196 with three home runs, 22 RBI and 19 runs across 51 minor-league games, and he'll now serve as organizational depth for the Brewers. The 27-year-old made appearances with the Pirates in 2018 and 2019, and he could join the big-league club in a depth role at some point.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Sent to minor-league camp
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Kramer was reassigned to minor-league camp Monday.
Kramer was always an underdog to break camp on the big-league roster, as he's no longer on the 40-man roster and owns a career .152/.222/.165 line in 90 major-league plate appearances. He missed all of last season due to hip surgery, though he'll have to prove more than just his health if he's to make an impact at the highest level this season.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Reinstated and outrighted
Rotowire
Kramer (hip) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and outrighted to the minors Friday, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Kramer missed the entirety of the 2020 season due to hip surgery, a procedure he underwent back in May. He was expected to be able to resume baseball activities within six months of the surgery, so he should be ready to go by next season. He's evidently not a major part of the Pirates' 2021 plans, though that's hardly a surprise given that he owns a .152/.222/.165 slash lin in 90 career big-league plate appearances.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Lands on IL
Rotowire
The Pirates placed Kramer (hip) on the 10-day injured list Monday and then transferred him to the 60-day IL.
He underwent hip surgery in March that will sideline him for 4-to-6 months, so it's possible he won't play at all this season. Kramer was set to compete for a bench role under normal circumstances.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Opts for hip surgery
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Kramer underwent surgery last week to repair the labrum of his right hip, Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic reports. He'll be sidelined for 4-to-6 months before resuming full baseball activities.
Even if MLB resumes at some point later in June or July with an abbreviated season, Kramer's recovery timeline from the surgery essentially rules him out from playing with the Pirates in 2020. Before MLB went on hiatus, the 26-year-old utility man was enjoying a productive spring training but was widely expected to open the campaign at Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: May need to wait for chance
Rotowire
Kramer is likely to start the 2020 season playing for Triple-A Indianapolis, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
He had a decent camp, batting .333 in 15 March at-bats, but he still faces plenty of competition as a utility player. He also has a pair of minor-league options remaining. Kramer moved back and forth between the infield and outfield during Grapefruit League play, showing some of the versatility that could give him an eventual shot in the big leagues. Playing primarily as a second baseman in the minors, he's shown extra-base pop with a career slash line of .286/.357/.429. At 26, however, time is running out for him to make a name for himself, at least with the Pittsburgh organization. He's struck out 37 times in 79 career at-bats at the major-league level.
Kramer has been called up by the Pirates twice this season, making a grand total of one plate appearance. The 24-year-old posted a mediocre .260/.335/.417 slash line for Triple-A Indianapolis this season after hitting .311/.365/.492 at the same level last season. He's played all over the infield as well as the outfield corners this season.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Sent back to minors
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Kramer was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
Kramer was up with the Pirates for just one day, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance. He'll head back to the minors to make room for Trevor Williams, who returns from the paternity list.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Receives big-league callup
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The Pirates recalled Kramer from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday.
Kramer had a cup of coffee with the Pirates earlier in April but didn't see any action during his brief stint with the big club. Over 296 plate appearances with Indianapolis this season, Kramer has slashed .270/.348/.413 with five home runs and four steals while drawing starts at three infield positions (second base, shortstop and third base) and both corner-outfield spots.
The Pirates optioned Kramer to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Kramer stuck with Pittsburgh for less than a week and never made an appearance during his time with the big club. He was deemed an expendable luxury with the team bringing back Kyle Crick (triceps) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Recalled from Triple-A
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Kramer was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Kramer got his first taste of big-league action last season but failed to impress, going 5-for-37 at the plate. He's up to replace Kevin Newman, who landed on the injured list with a finger laceration, in a corresponding move.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Sent to Indianapolis
Rotowire
The Pirates optioned Kramer to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
He hit .207 with one homer and seven RBI this spring but had no true chance of making the Opening Day roster, barring injury. General manager Neal Huntington said that Kramer will move around the infield and possibly play in the outfield for Indianapolis. according to Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic. Kramer slashed .311/.365/.492 at Triple-A in 2018 but hit just .135 with 20 strikeouts in 37 at-bats for the Pirates in September.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Likely to start in minors
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Kramer is unlikely to crack the Opening Day roster because of a crowded middle-infield picture, DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Both Erik Gonzalez and Kevin Newman -- two players battling for the starting shortstop job -- are capable of backing up Adam Frazier at second base, as are Nick Franklin and Pablo Cruz. Kramer struggled immensely upon making his major-league debut in September, batting .135 with 20 strikeouts in 40 at-bats. Still, the 24-year-old has hit well throughout his time in the minor leagues and will likely get another chance -- just not at the beginning of 2019. "Kevin Kramer has not forgotten how to hit," said general manager Neal Huntington. "He isn't the first good hitter to come up and struggle his first time at the major-league level." While Kramer is primarily a second baseman, he offers versatility as a potential backup at both shortstop and third base. He was one of only three International League players to reach double digits in both homers (15) and steals (13) in 2018 while slashing .311/.365/.492.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Struggling at plate
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Kramer went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts against the Brewers on Sunday.
The rookie has three hits in 25 September at-bats, striking out 15 times. Kramer was thought to be a leading contender for a bench spot to open 2019, but he's looked overmatched. Fellow infielder Pablo Reyes may have moved ahead of him in the pecking order. With infielders Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison both likely to leave the team this winter, opportunity remains for Kramer, but he'll need to rediscover the stroke which helped him to slash .311/.365/.492 at Triple-A in 2018.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Feels the breeze Wednesday
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Kramer went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts against the Cardinals on Wednesday.
Kramer never struck out much in the minors until he began hitting for power. He whiffed 127 times in 476 at-bats for Triple-A Indy in 2018. Despite making only 19 starts at third base in his minor-league career, Kramer played third Wednesday and acquitted himself nicely. He's 3-for-17 with three singles and a walk since being recalled.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Set to start Friday
Rotowire
Kramer will make his first major league start Friday against Miami.
The infielder popped out to shallow right field in his first career at-bat Wednesday. Kramer, who bats left-handed, will face righty Dan Straily, against whom lefties are hitting .262 with an .823 OPS. The rookie is likely Pittsburgh's most promising September callup from an offensive standpoint, especially with outfielder Austin Meadows traded away to Tampa Bay.
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Pirates' Kevin Kramer: Earns promotion to Pirates
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The Pirates recalled Kramer from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.
General manager Neal Huntington said on his Sunday radio show it wouldn't be fair to recall Kramer if he were only going to play sporadically. At the same time, Huntington also said that Colin Moran and Adam Frazier will see extensive time at third base and second base in September, the two positions Kramer plays. Kramer had an OPS breakout season in 2017 (.850 OPS) and has continued hitting this year. He slashed .311/.365/.492 with 15 homers and 13 stolen bases at Triple-A. While he probably won't see consistent action, he'll likely get an opportunity to show off his skills for 2019.
