UPDATE: Done deal. Ramirez and the Padres have agreed to a one-year contract, per Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.
==========
Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune reports that the Padres “are targeting” Alexei Ramirez and “could be closing in on a deal” with the free agent shortstop.
San Diego has previously been linked to free agent shortstop Ian Desmond, but apparently decided his price tag is too high and/or it wasn’t worth parting with a draft pick to sign him.
Ramirez will be much cheaper and doesn’t have draft pick compensation attached, but he’s also 34 years old and coming off a rough season in which he hit just .249 with 10 homers and a .642 OPS in 154 games for the White Sox.
Ramirez became a free agent when the White Sox declined his $10 million option for 2016. He was Chicago’s starting shortstop from 2008-2015, making one All-Star team and hitting .273 with a .709 OPS while averaging 14 homers per 160 games.