Dodgers’ Hanley Ramirez: I’ll be back ‘way sooner’ than mid-May

Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez said Tuesday he plans to return “way sooner” than the mid-May timetable set when he had thumb surgery.

“Everybody is going to be shocked,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said he felt “awesome” after hitting in the cage and taking ground balls with his right thumb taped.

He tore a ligament in the thumb in the World Baseball Classic championship game on March 20. After surgery two days later, the Dodgers said he would sit out eight weeks.

That would be May 17.

“Way sooner,” Ramirez said.

In his absence, Dodgers shortstops are batting .167, with one run scored.

Ramirez would not say when he might start a minor league rehabilitation assignment or return to the major league lineup.

“It’s a surprise,” he said. “I’m going to tweet it.”

So follow @HanleyRamirez.

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