The Cleveland Guardians moved into first place within the American League Central with a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, their second win in a row over their divisional rivals.
Cleveland leads by a slim half-game over Chicago, no less than till tonight when the White Sox tackle the Detroit Tigers whereas the Guardians take a well-earned off day earlier than opening a three-game sequence in opposition to the Athletics at Progressive Subject.
Because the Guardians rested up for his or her remaining 9 video games, the membership took time to announce an upbeat merchandise of private information on the participant who has been the face of their franchise for a decade.
Right now, Thursday, Sept. 17, is José Ramírez’s birthday.
José Ramírez’s Highway From Baní to Cleveland
Ramírez turned 34 on Thursday, and the Guardians posted a heartfelt tribute Thursday morning, calling their longtime third baseman “our candy prince, the GOAT.”
Cleveland performs its subsequent recreation Friday at residence in opposition to the Athletics, with Ramírez nonetheless working his method again from a season difficult by a damaged hand. One other query hanging over the Ramírez birthday — whether or not the switch-hitter has already finished sufficient to land in Cooperstown.
Ramírez grew up in Baní, Dominican Republic, taking part in in opposition to grown males in newbie leagues by age 13 and idolizing hometown hero Miguel Tejada, in keeping with ESPN. He was thought of too small by most scouts, listed at 5-foot-9 and roughly 165 kilos as an adolescent. Cleveland’s Ramón Peña noticed one thing else in 2009, and Ramírez signed as a world free agent for a modest $50,000 bonus.
Ramírez debuted as a pinch-runner in 2013, scoring on a game-winning grand slam in his first huge league look. On April 6 of 2026, Ramírez handed Terry Turner’s 108-year-old document for video games performed in a Cleveland uniform, a mark that had stood since 1918.
“My final aim was to have the ability to play so long as I may right here,” Ramírez mentioned, as quoted by SI.com‘s Cade Cracas.
In January, he signed a brand new seven-year contract extension operating by means of 2032, when he’ll flip 40. He’s married with three youngsters. An all-turf youth subject close to his childhood home in Baní now carries the Ramírez identify, a present he funded himself.
| CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — REMAINING 2026 SCHEDULE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Pitcher | Opp. Pitcher |
| Fri, Sep 18 | vs Athletics | 7:10 p.m. | MLB.television | Espino | — |
| Sat, Sep 19 | vs Athletics | 6:10 p.m. | MLB.television | Bibee | Lopez |
| Solar, Sep 20 | vs Athletics | 1:40 p.m. | MLB.television | Williams | Perkins |
| Tue, Sep 22 | @ Boston Pink Sox | 6:45 p.m. | MLB.television / NESN | Griffin | Bennett |
| Wed, Sep 23 | @ Boston Pink Sox | 7:10 p.m. | ESPN | Messick | Grey |
| Thu, Sep 24 | @ Boston Pink Sox | 6:45 p.m. | MLB.television / NESN | Cantillo | Suarez |
| Fri, Sep 25 | @ Kansas Metropolis Royals | 7:40 p.m. | MLB.television | Bibee | Cameron |
| Sat, Sep 26 | @ Kansas Metropolis Royals | 7:10 p.m. | MLB.television | Williams | Wacha |
| Solar, Sep 27 | @ Kansas Metropolis Royals | 3:10 p.m. | MLB.television | Griffin | Lynch IV |
| All instances Jap. Schedule displays video games remaining within the 2026 common season as of September 17, 2026. Pitching matchups topic to vary. | |||||
A Corridor of Fame Case?
Ramírez’s résumé already consists of seven All-Star alternatives, six Silver Sluggers and three 30-30 seasons. Ramírez has posted a 131 profession OPS-plus, tying Wade Boggs for sixth amongst main third basemen already enshrined in Cooperstown, forward of Corridor of Famers Ron Santo and Scott Rolen, in keeping with MLB.com. He’s closing in on the 300-300 membership for homers and stolen bases, a gaggle that features solely eight gamers in historical past. Coming into his birthday, Ramírez carries a profession .276 common with 1,769 hits, 296 residence runs, 998 RBIs and 424 doubles throughout 13-plus seasons, all with the identical group.
Baseball-Reference’s JAWS system ranks him twentieth amongst all-time third basemen, with 59.8 profession WAR in opposition to a Corridor common of 68.9. His Grey Ink rating already tops the everyday inductee’s, although his Corridor of Fame Monitor and Requirements scores nonetheless path the norm.
Ramírez has by no means gained an AL MVP Award regardless of 4 top-three finishes, a niche some Corridor of Fame voters weigh closely.
A damaged hand has slowed him in 2026. Ramírez fractured his proper hamate bone in 2019 and returned inside a month, homering in his first two at-bats again, in keeping with MLB.com. This June, he broke the identical bone in his left hand swinging in opposition to Detroit and underwent surgical procedure to restore it, lacking roughly 5 weeks. He returned hitting nearer to .230 than his standard common, ending the yr round 117 video games, 11 residence runs and 33 stolen bases.
He has additionally battled wrist, forearm and ankle accidents through the years, in keeping with Fox Sports activities, however nonetheless performed 150-plus video games in most full seasons.
Ten years in the past, on his twenty fourth birthday, Ramírez gained a recreation outright with a walk-off single in opposition to Detroit within the tenth inning. Cleveland has handled Sept. 17 as “J-Ram Day” ever since, and this one arrives with the third baseman nonetheless writing the ultimate chapters of his Corridor of Fame argument.
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