José Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI fielder’s choice during the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Progressive Field on May 31, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
You could argue that no one in the Major Leagues was more feared at the plate than Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians.
The switch-hitting infielder batted .282/.356/.475, clubbed 24 homers and drove in 80 runs on his way to his fifth All-Star Game appearance and a 10th-place finish in the American League MVP balloting.
Was he feared? Well, opposing teams intentionally walked him 22 times last year, good for the AL lead, so they certainly didn’t relish the moments he stood in the batter’s box.
Ramirez, now in his 12th MLB season, is again swinging a hot bat, helping the Guardians to a 38-19 record, putting them atop the AL Central by four games over the Kansas City Royals, and is this week’s International MLB Player of the Week.
And no batter in either league has had a better week than Ramirez, who went 8-for-22, with six of those hits going for extra bases. With the four doubles and two homers Ramirez has smashed this week, he’s also driven in eight runs this week while walking five times and swiping one base.
His best performance of the week came on May 24 against the Los Angeles Angels, where he hit a pair of two-run homers in the Guardians’ 10-4 road win.
So nice, he does it twice!
José Ramírez belts his second two-run home run of the game and gives the @CleGuardians a 7-2 lead over the Angels in the top of the fourth inning in Anaheim.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/mm9SO4d0DX
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) May 25, 2024
With the All-Star Game just over a month away, Ramirez will almost certainly make his sixth appearance at the midsummer classic at Globe Life Park in July.
The three-time Silver Slugger winner is in the third year of a seven-year, $141 million contract with Cleveland and will be a free agent after the 2028 campaign, his age-35 season.
Next week, the Guardians host Kansas City in a three-game set, pitting the two top teams in the AL Central against each other before traveling to face Miami over the weekend.
