Jose Ramirez is the heartbeat of the Cleveland Guardians.
But right now, as the Guardians try to chase down the AL Central Division title from the Chicago White Sox, they’re doing it with a heart that feels like it needs a defibrillator.
Ramirez has been one of the most disappointing players in the sport this season, and instead of lifting the Guardians up like he normally does, he’s teetering dangerously close on the line of a guy who might be holding them back.
That’s not to say there’s an alternative. Ramirez has to be in the lineup every game he can be. But he doesn’t quite seem right, and if the Guardians end up a bit short of the White Sox, it could very well be because Ramirez never got himself figured out before it was too late.
Jose Ramirez Injury Struggles
Ramirez had to go on the injured list midway through the season with a hamate bone injury on his left hand. He missed a little more than a month.
And for those unfamiliar with the hamate bone — it’s located on the outer portion of your hand, sort of opposite your thumb, running below the pinky and toward the wrist. It’s a somewhat common injury for a hitter to get.
Because of the hamate bone’s location, even once it heals, hitters can struggle to be the same as they were beforehand. It often takes until the next season, after a full offseason of rest, to really be right again.
It certainly came at an inopportune time for Ramirez, who whether he’d ever admit it or not sure seems to be hampered.
“In 43 games since returning from injury, Ramirez in 163 at-bats has just one home run, a .215 batting average, and a .558 OPS,” wrote Matt Sullivan of The Sporting News on Tuesday. “This is a large-enough sample size to have some real concerns about Ramirez.”
Ramirez was having a semi-normal season for him before the injury, with a .757 OPS. Since the absence, though, he’s been a shell of himself.
If that doesn’t change too soon, the Guardians might find themselves on the outside looking in come October.
AL Central Standings
The White Sox used a six-run inning to beat the Guardians on Monday and expand their division lead.
Chicago is 77-73 entering action on Tuesday.
Cleveland is 76-75, which is 1.5 games back.
The Guardians are also in the thick of it in the AL Wild Card standings, currently holding onto the third-and-final spot. They’re a game ahead of the Blue Jays (75-76) and 1.5 games ahead of the Rangers (74-76).
The White Sox are playing Cleveland for two more games on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then it’ll be nine games left for the Guardians and 10 games left for Chicago.
It’s now or never for Ramirez to find himself once again.
Something’s Wrong With Jose Ramirez