Are the Guardians ‘wasting’ the career of José Ramírez? — Terry Pluto
Jose Ramirez has been frustrated after the Guardians were eliminated from the 2025 playoffs.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Are the New York Yankees wasting the career of Aaron Judge?
Stick with me for a moment.
I ask this question because I’ve heard the same thing about José Ramírez and the Guardians. Not just from the recent advertisement someone bought in Wednesday’s Plain Dealer.
Jose Ramirez is the heart of the Guardians with his hustle.
I answered a question about it from a reader in my last newsletter. Cleveand.com sports editor David Campbell and I also have talked about it periodically on our weekly podcast.
Jose Ramirez with the 2025 Central Division flag.
But first, let’s look at Judge. He is a certain Hall of Famer. He’s been in the majors for 10 years. He’s 33.
How many times has he won a World Series? None.
How many times has he been to the World Series? One.
How many times in those 10 years has he been to the American League Championship Series, which is baseball’s Final Four? Twice. (That was in 2022 and 2024).
Are the Yankees wasting his career?
How about the Mets and Francisco Lindor, likely to become a Hall of Famer?
How many times in his five years with the Mets has Lindor been to the World Series? None.
How many times in his five years with the Mets has he been to the playoffs? Twice.
In Lindor’s six years with Cleveland, he went to the playoffs four times.
Are the Mets wasting his career?
A bigger question
I mentioned this because the recent narrative is the Guardians are wasting the career of Ramírez. There are things the Guardians can and should do for Ramírez, and I’ll get to that.
But this idea of wasting a career … what is the standard?
Is it a World Series win … or nothing?
Getting to the World Series? Does that count?
I repeat, what is the standard?
Ramírez and Lindor both made the World Series … with Cleveland in 2016.
Ramírez, Lindor and Judge have all been to the World Series the same amount of times … once. None of them won it.
What about Ramírez?
Ramírez came up to Cleveland near the end of the 2013 season. The Tribe was a wild card team that year.
In his 13 seasons with Cleveland, only twice has the team had a losing record.
Ramírez has been to the playoffs seven times in his 13 years. He’s been on a Central Division championship team six times.
It’s not as if the team is trending down. The Guardians have won the Central Division and been to the playoffs in three of the last four years.
Is that the definition of a wasted career?
In 2024, the Guardians were in the ALCS (Final Four). They lost to Judge and the Yankees.
Because the Mets and Yankees spend huge, I suppose that means the careers of Lindor and Judge aren’t “wasted.”
But are they any different than what Ramírez has accomplished with his teams?
What about Mike Trout with the Angels? He’s a future Hall of Famer with 404 career homers. He’s been with the Angels for 15 years.
Guess how many times Trout has been to the playoffs. Once. That was in 2014.
If you want a “wasted career,” Trout is a much better example than Ramírez.
What about their ages?
On opening day of 2026 Trout will be 34. Ramírez and Judge will be 33. Lindor will be 32.
What they did
After the 2024 season, the Guardians were determined to add more starting pitchers. That led to a pair of bold trades.
They shipped Josh Naylor to Arizona for Slade Cecconi and a draft pick that became high school pitcher Will Hynes. Cecconi had a solid season for Cleveland, 7-7 with a 4.30 ERA. The 18-year-old Hynes will start his pro career in 2026.
Naylor split the season between Arizona and Seattle, batting .295 (.815 OPS) with 20 homers and 92 RBI. He suddenly turned into a base stealer, 30 of 32. He will be a free agent after the playoffs.
Naylor was missed batting behind Ramírez in the cleanup spot.
The Guardians signed 39-year-old Carlos Santana to fill in for Naylor at first base and bat fourth. In 2024, Santana batted .238 (.749 OPS) with 23 homers and 71 RBI, also winning a Gold Glove.
Age finally caught up with Santana. He batted .219 (.183 after the All-Star break) with 11 homers and 52 RBI for Cleveland. He was put on waivers late in the season and claimed by the Cubs, where he was 2 for 19.
Kyle Manzardo belted 27 homers and supplied some protection for Ramírez, but the Guardians still need another experienced bat.
What can the Guardians do?
Here’s what is left on Ramírez’s contract:
2026: $21 million.
2027: $23 million.
2028: $25 million.
The Guardians should rework the deal, much as they did in 2022 when he had two years left. They can move more money up front and add a year or two at the end.
Ramírez is the best all-around Cleveland baseball player I’ve seen. That takes in power, speed, defense and his utter relentlessness. His committing to Cleveland in the spring of 2022 set up the team’s run of three Central Division titles in the last four years.
The other move is to bring in an experienced power bat, preferably from the right side. Forget free agency. That will be too expensive. They can use some of their young pitchers in a trade.
All of their top prospects are lefty hitters: Chase DeLauter, C.J. Kayfus, Travis Bazzana and Manzardo.
Yes, the Guardians create opportunities for young players, but they can shop for a bat on an established contract. It’s time to do so.
Hear me talk: I will be speaking at the Music Box in the Flats. along with Regina Brett on October 22. This is a faith-based talk. Doors open at 5 p.m. Talk begins at 7 p.m. More information is here.
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