Manny Ramirez has agreed to a deal with the Oakland Athletics. The team announced the minor league deal Monday.

Ramirez is expected to report to spring training by Friday.

The deal is worth about $500,000. Ramirez is obligated to serve a 50-game suspension without pay before beginning play for the A's due to violating baseball's drug policy for the second time. With no rainouts, the first game Ramirez would be eligible to play is on his 40th birthday -- May 30 at Minnesota. That didn't deter general manager Billy Beane and the Athletics.

"I am very pleased Billy was able to add Manny to our team," A's owner Lew Wolff said in an email. "I look forward to welcoming him and the entire team that Billy and his people have assembled for the coming season."

The A's recently agreed to terms on a $36 million, four-year contract with highly sought-after outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, a Cuban defector who has expressed interest in playing with Ramirez.

At baseball's winter meetings in December, it was announced that Ramirez had applied for reinstatement. He had his suspension for a second failed drug test cut to 50 games because he sat out nearly all of last season.

MLB had announced his retirement April 8, saying he was notified "of an issue" under the drug program.