The Cleveland Guardians' most pressing matter right now is the extension of talented third baseman Jose Ramirez. The club has had talks with the star infielder, which were even termed as intensifying in nature. With Opening Day less than a week away, Cleveland.com's Paul Hoynes has the latest on Ramirez' extension talks with the Guardians.

Ramirez’s representatives and the Guardians have been talking on and off about an extension. This was an important week in trying to get a deal done, but it appears negotiations have bogged down, if not ended.

Per Hoynes, talks between the two sides seem to have “bogged down.” That's not what Guardians fans want to hear, as Ramirez is clearly the best player on the team.

The franchise has set a firm deadline for April 7, which is Opening Day. Clearly, neither side wants the distraction that comes with regular season contract negotiations, but the team is running out of time to get the deal done before their self-imposed deadline.

If no deal is done, Ramirez will stand to make $12 million on his current contract. The three-time All-Star is coming off a strong campaign that saw him slash .266/.355/.538 with 36 homers, 103 RBI, 111 runs, and 27 stolen bases.

The Guardians have made it clear that they want Ramirez back. They can prove that by giving him a payday before April 7.