Few players in the Major Leagues can match the consistency of Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians. He has been an All-Star seven times in his career and there is little doubt that he has been the player who has been most responsible for the success of the Guardians throughout his 13-year career.
Ramirez may not be a typical leader, but third baseman from Dominican Republic is the reason the Guardians have at least a reasonable chance to earn the American League championship and compete for their first World Series title since 1948. There are no worries about Ramirez leaving this mid-level franchise and signing with the Dodgers, Yankees or Mets for the elite money that many of the game's superstars receive.
Ramirez put his signature on a 7-year, $175 million contract in January, making him the franchise's highest paid player in team history. He could have received more if he had opted to play out his contract and hit the open market, but he had no intention to do that. He is Dominican born and bred but he also has Cleveland in his blood and he belongs to the Guardians.
Eye-opening numbers for Ramirez throughout his career
Ramirez went from “very good player” to a superstar in 2017 when he made his first All-Star Game. He slashed .318/.374/.583 with a remarkable 56 doubles, 29 home runs and 83 runs batted in and 17 stolen bases. His growth continued the following season when he slashed .270/.387/.552 an eye-opening 39 home runs 105 RBI and 34 stolen bases.
At that point in his career, Ramirez became the man in Cleveland, the player the team could lean on in the late innings and the most important games. He was one of the biggest security blankets in the league because he got the job done so often.
Amazingly, he has been even better since that '19 season. He was 25 years old and very close to his physical peak, but the 33-year-old Ramirez is a more dominant player now.
Ramirez has made the All-Star Game in five consecutive seasons, as he matched his career-high in home runs with 39 in 2024 and he followed up with 30 long balls last year. He drove in 118 runs in '24 and 85 last season. The most shocking numbers are in the stolen base category. He stole 41 bases two years ago and a career-best 44 stolen bases last year.
Ramirez reaches 300-300 club prior to All-Star Game
The remarkable eye-opening consistency of the Cleveland third baseman will allow him to reach a level shared by just eight other players in the history of the sport. He needs just 15 home runs and 13 stolen bases to join the 300-300 club. Ramirez has belted 285 home runs in his career and he also has 287 stolen bases.
It seems like Ramirez should be slowing down dramatically in the stolen base category because he is well into his 30s. He is not necessarily a faster runner than he was in his mid-20s, but he is certainly a better, smarter and more confident base runner. If his stolen base totals open eyes around the sport, his overall base running is sensational. Few runners go from first to third on a ground ball single with more efficiency than Ramirez.
His ability with the bat in his hands and on the basepaths gives Guardians manager Stephen Vogt the confidence to feel secure that his team has one of the best players in the sport.
Ramirez wins MVP Award, outpacing Judge, Witt, Raleigh
The Cleveland third baseman is clearly his team's leader, and if he is going to get decent support from rookie right fielder Chase DeLauter and first baseman Kyle Manzardo, along with the expected contributions from lead-off man supreme Steven Kwan, Ramirez is going to win the American League MVP Award.
That may sound like a bold statement considering the presence of Aaron Judge in New York, Bobby Witt Jr. in Kansas City and Cal Raleigh in Seattle. Roman Anthony of the Red Sox, Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners and Junior Caminero of the Rays all seem likely to assert themselves as well.
But this is going to be a peak year for Ramirez. Look for at least 35 home runs, 115 RBI and 40 stolen bases. The other factor that will give him an edge on Judge is his propensity for putting the ball in play. He puts his bat on the ball and he struck out just 74 times last season. He has never struck out more than 87 times in a season.
Judge may be a great player with three MVP awards, but is a strikeout machine. He will strikeout at least 150 times this season, having exceeded that figure six times in his career.
Ramirez leads Guardians to World Series appearance
There is every reason to believe that the Guardians will be the best team in the American League Central this season by a decent margin. The Detroit Tigers have enough pitching to compete with them in the first half of the season, but the Tarik Skubal contract situation is likely to diminish their capabilities as the year progresses. The Royals are solid with Witt leading the way, but they are not going to outlast the Guardians.
The Guardians have come close enough times and they are not going to take a back seat to anyone. The competition with the Yankees, Mariners and Blue Jays will be intense, but Ramirez will lead Cleveland to the top of the American League and they will get their opportunity to win their first World Series in 78 years.
