José Ramírez carried Cleveland through the final night of the Division Series, and now the Guardians will take that momentum to Tampa Bay with the American League Championship Series set to begin Monday at Tropicana Field.
Ramírez’s two-run homer supplied all the offense in Cleveland’s 2-0 Game 5 win over the White Sox on Saturday at Progressive Field. One day later, the Guardians arrived in St. Petersburg to prepare for the Rays, with Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max.
For the 34-year-old third baseman, the stage is familiar, even if the mission remains unfinished. Ramírez has made eight postseason trips and has reached the ALCS twice before. Cleveland beat Toronto in five games in 2016 on its way to the World Series, while the club lost an ALCS in five games to the Yankees in 2024.
What Ramírez has not yet claimed is a World Series title. Cleveland’s championship drought stands at 78 years, and its franchise cornerstone has put himself in the middle of another October push.
Ramírez found his stroke as the series turned
The Guardians dropped the opening two games against Chicago while Ramírez went 0-for-6. Cleveland then won three straight, with its third baseman going 5-for-12 over Games 3 through 5. He logged a double, a triple and two home runs, driving in seven of Cleveland’s 20 runs during the comeback.
| Period after left hamate surgery | Games | Batting average | Slugging percentage | Hard-hit rate | Plate appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 22-Sept. 15 | 44 | .210 | .263 | 27.7% | 188 |
| Since Sept. 16 | 13 | .304 | .571 | 52% | 64 |
The power surge is particularly important after Ramírez’s June 16 surgery on his left hamate. His first 44 games back did not resemble his usual production, but the last 13 have offered a different picture. If that extra carry remains in his swing against Tampa Bay, Cleveland’s lineup becomes a much tougher assignment.
“He has dealt with plenty this season, and so have we,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We are ready to get on the field Monday, and I’m looking forward to watching José continue being José Ramírez.”
Ramírez said the urgency of October is part of what makes the work worthwhile.
“You want to be at your best in these games because it is win or go home,” Ramírez said through an interpreter. “Those situations are special. You grind through Spring Training with the goal of making the postseason. When you get here, you understand this is what you prepared for, and it is time to enjoy it.”
Tampa Bay knows the threat
The Rays will not need much reminding of where Ramírez fits in the Cleveland order. Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen called him one of the game’s most overlooked elite players, even while placing him among the world’s top 10.
“He is a unique talent,” Rasmussen said. “When you begin the scouting work, the alarms go off with him.”
Right-hander Griffin Jax sees a hitter capable of changing the game in more than one fashion. Ramírez can send a pitch into the seats, but he can also shoot a ball the other way, reach base and put pressure on a defense with his legs.
“He is on a Hall of Fame path,” Jax said. “He is incredible to watch. He understands his plan and does not need to become a different player. If the moment calls for a single the other way, he can do that and look to steal. If he gets a ball he can drive out, he will do that, too.”
From uncertain prospect to Cleveland’s constant
Ramírez debuted in the majors in 2013, but the early version of his career came with doubts. The native of Baní, Dominican Republic, did not break through until 2016, when he became a key piece of Cleveland’s pennant-winning club.
Rays manager Kevin Cash saw those early seasons firsthand as Cleveland’s bullpen coach in 2013 and 2014. Since taking over Tampa Bay in 2015, Cash has spent years constructing plans to limit a player whose future once appeared less certain.
“There were early struggles, and people wondered whether he would stick in the big leagues,” Cash said. “He certainly has. When you face Cleveland, you are always looking through the lineup and asking where he is.”
Craig Albernaz, now the Orioles’ manager, joined Cleveland after Ramírez had established himself. Albernaz worked as the Guardians’ bench coach in 2024 and associate manager in 2025, but he learned about Ramírez’s climb from people who watched the entire path.
“Josey was not viewed as an elite prospect coming up,” Albernaz said. “He had to earn everything. People can forget that because of all he has accomplished, but he built himself into José Ramírez. He works every day as if somebody is coming for his job.”
Ramírez is a seven-time All-Star, six-time Silver Slugger and the defining player of the Guardians’ current era. Cash and Albernaz also pointed to his commitment to Cleveland, where he has signed two long-term extensions and remains under contract through 2032.
That commitment has left him with one clear October task. The Guardians have already shown their ability to recover from an 0-2 hole. Now they need to find enough answers against the Rays to move closer to the title that has stayed out of reach for nearly eight decades.
“You always have to find a way to win,” Ramírez said. “That is what this team has done. We will keep doing the same thing: find a way to win and figure out how to get to the next round.”
