Getty Hanley Ramirez with his daughter Hailey in 2015.
Hanley Ramirez, who was released by the Boston Red Sox on June 1, 2018, frequently comments about his children and parents on social media, although he’s very private about his wife, who is known as Elizabeth Ramirez and sometimes goes by the name Sanoe.
Ramirez was back in the news after it was reported that a friend dropped his name in an alleged bid to avoid arrest for fentanyl trafficking. According to The Boston Globe, the friend “immediately admitted the player had no connection to the drugs,” however, and Ramirez is not under federal investigation.
The controversy has some people wondering more about Hanley Ramirez’s family. Who is his wife? Is he married? Do they have children? What did his parents do?
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Hanley Ramirez & His Wife Have Three Children
A picture that Hanley posted of his family on Instagram.
Some sites say Hanley’s wife is known both as Sanoe and Elizabeth Ramirez. Online records give her name as Elizabeth Ramirez. However, CBS Local gives her name as Sanoe. The story dates to 2014 when Hanley had signed a five-year deal as a free agent. Older articles refer to her as Elizabeth, however.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfqFOPgAdjI/?taken-by=hanleyramirez13
The CBS story reported that Ramirez and his wife had two sons: “Ramirez has two sons with his wife, Sanoe: Hanley Jr. and Hansel,” CBS Local reported. Hanley wrote on Twitter that he loves kids. “I love kids. Mine and yours. He likes the @RedSox and he whispered that he brought me some hits ?” he wrote with a video of a small child approaching him. In March 2018, MassLive reported, “Both Hanley Jr. and Hansel visit the ballpark often with their dad.”
I love being a Daddy 💙 Feliz Dia de Los Padres a todos. http://t.co/epvz7oYTgr
On Twitter, he shared a photo of his kids and wrote, “I love being a Daddy.” However, other sites say Hanley has three children, and it’s clear the couple also has a daughter. A photo on Getty images says Hanley and Elizabeth also have a daughter, Hailey. She was with him at Fenway Park for a 2015 game. You can see a photo of Elizabeth Ramirez with Hanley and Hailey here. She’s also pictured in this story on a Spanish-language site.
2. Hanley’s Wife Reportedly Grew Up in the Same Neighborhood as He Did in the Dominican Republic
With God and family all things are possible. Ready to go win again #Blessed #iseeyou… http://t.co/zDCiBL8AI3
Hanley is intensely private about his wife, judging from his social media presence where he almost never posts photos of her for public consumption, although he has repeatedly posted photos of his parents and children.
Hanley is from the Dominican Republic. It appears he returned there after he was released by the Red Sox, as his most recent Instagram post was tagged at the Marina Casa de Campo fishing club in La Romana.
“Hanley Ramirez’s wife is from the same neighborhood as Hanley. Both Hanley and Sanoe/Elisabeth grew up in the Los Girasoles neighborhood in Santo Domingo,” Player Wives reported. Hanley played for the Marlins and Dodgers before returning to the Red Sox, which is the team with which he got his MLB start.
In 2006, a story on a Spanish-language blog called Ramon Anibal TV, reported that Hanley was given the rookie of the year award, much to his family’s elation. “Hanley Ramírez escorts the National Flag with his two-year-old son, Hanley Jr., his mother Isabel, and his wife Elizabeth de Ramírez. The celebration took place in the humble home of her mother, in the Los Girasoles sector,” the translation says.
At the time he received the call announcing the news, Hanley was instructing “his wife Elizabeth in the practice of driving,” the blog reported.
3. Hanley Thanked His Mom for All The Hitting Lessons & He Worked in His Dad’s Auto Shop
Feliz dia, Happy Mothers Day to #MamaTrece. Thanks for all the love and support and for all of the hitting lessons, te amo mami 💖
On Mother’s Day, Hanley posted a tribute to his mother. It reads, “Feliz dia, Happy Mothers Day to #MamaTrece. Thanks for all the love and support and for all of the hitting lessons, te amo mami ?” Hanley Ramirez was born December 23, 1983 in Samana. He is 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighs 235 pounds.
‘@RedSox nation here I am right now with my mom and dad. It’s my dad’s birthday #AskHanley 🎂⚾️
In 2017, he posted a photo with both of his parents, writing, “@RedSox nation here I am right now with my mom and dad. It’s my dad’s birthday #AskHanley ?⚾️.” In the past, notes ESPN, Hanley Ramirez was regarded as a “diva.” However, his impressive athleticism was apparent early on.
“He was an outstanding basketball player growing up in the Dominican Republic,” reported ESPN, and he started getting attention from scouts in his teens.
Hanley told The Players Tribune that his dad owned an auto shop. “I had to work in my dad’s auto shop. In the Dominican, you can go to school in the morning or in the afternoon. I used to go in the mornig because in the afternoon I gotta go to the shop. I was a good little mechanic,” he said. His dad is named Toribio Ramírez.
“He was a quiet, well-liked man. Hanley’s zest for life came from his mother, Isabel, who was always laughing and joking around,” JockBio reported.
4. Hanley Has Described How Tough It Was Leaving His Parents Behind
Hanley used the hashtag #familyfirst with one photo with his kids that he posted on social media. He included the words priceless and #mybabies. On New Year’s Eve, he posted a photo showing himself surrounded by children.
Happy New Year everyone, let’s make it a great one 🎊🎉🍾🍸
In 2013, he posted about a surprise birthday party his family held for him.
Cena de cumpleaños sorpresa de mi familia. Estoy bendecido. Gracias Señor. http://t.co/tMfiNJFHED
He also wrote, “With God and family all things are possible. Ready to go win again #Blessed #iseeyou…” However, he’s spoken candidly to The Players Tribune about how difficult it was to leave his parents behind when he first moved to the United States to play professional baseball.
“I remember when I left the Dominican to come to the States, I left my mom and dad behind. It was just me. I have no brothers and sisters. And it was like … Wow. That was hard. My whole life, it was just me, my mom and my dad in our house. Now it’s just me, and I don’t speak the language,” he told the site. He described how the distance made his mother cry, but he told her it would be fine.
His mother considered Hanley her baby and called to check on him constantly, The Players Tribune reported.
5. Hanley’s Friend David Ortiz, Known as ‘Big Papi,’ Has Also Been a Father Figure to Him
GettyHanley Ramirez #13 of the Boston Red Sox looks on with his son Hansel before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day at Tropicana Field on March 29, 2018 in St Petersburg, Florida.
On Father’s Day, 2016, The Players Tribune ran an interview with Hanley and his friend David Ortiz, known as “big Papi.” Ortiz also played for the Red Sox previously.
“Ever since Hanley came to the big leagues from the Dominican Republic, Big Papi has been a father figure to him. Hanley brought David an engraved bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label to celebrate the occasion,” the article reported.
The pair joked about cheesecake and other things, and then Hanley said, “Man, this guy is like a father figure to me. People don’t understand what he does for young players who come here from the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America,” according to The Players Tribune.