Hanley Ramirez on playing first base: ‘Any time'

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PHILADELPHIA — Hanley Ramirez, restricted to designated hitter almost all season with balky shoulders plus a preference for David Ortiz's old job, said he enjoyed his first full game at first base of 2017.

"I was like a little kid out there," Ramirez said after a 7-3 win. "So happy. It was fun."

That's a different tone than Ramirez had earlier in the season when it came to first-base talk, and it's a welcome one for the Red Sox. Ramirez (0-for-3, one walk, one strikeout) said he spoke with manager John Farrell about the possibility of playing the field on Wednesday night and then again Thursday afternoon.

Mitch Moreland was out of the lineup because he took a pitch off his left foot Wednesday.

Ramirez could be back at first base on Thursday then, conceivably. He sounds willing to play the position, more than he has at any other point this year.

"Any time. That’s what I’m here for," Ramirez said. "Anything to help the team win."

Ramirez indicated he did feel his shoulders bark a little bit while throwing, but said it was "nothing that we have to worry about."

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