In the hunt for another AL Central crown, the Cleveland Indians may have taken a slight step back.
After missing on a high fastball in Cleveland, Indians star Jose Ramirez came up in pain. After evaluation by team medical personnel, Ramirez has been placed on the ten-day injured list with a broken hamate bone. The injury occurred during Ramirez’s first-inning at-bat while facing Kansas City Royals pitcher Glenn Sparkman. Ramirez had been battling through wrist soreness entering the game which worried some after Saturday.
Hamate Injury Strikes Again
The hamate bone is often susceptible to breaking as it rests near the nob of the bat. This type of injury has become increasingly less uncommon around the league, especially within the Indians organization. Former Indian Michael Brantley missed the final month of the 2011 campaign due to the same injury.
Carlos Santana and former Cleveland greats Jim Thome and Travis Hafner also suffered setbacks due to a hamate injury.
The 2019 Campaign
Despite a slow start to the season, Ramirez has come around to be the dominant player of old. The four-year vet has racked up a .254 batting average while slugging .463 with 65 runs, 20 home runs, and 75 RBI through 126 games played.
Throughout his career, a hallmark of Ramirez has been his ability to hit for extra-base hits. Coming into Saturday’s contest with the Royals, Ramirez was second in all of baseball with 32 extra-base hits since the All-Star break. Ramirez also broke out a league third-best 40 RBI since the mid-season break.
The Replacement
With the injury to Ramirez, the Indians have called up Triple-A infielder Yu Chang. Chang graced the Indians lineup once already this season with a two-game stint back in late June— ironically when Ramirez went on paternity leave.
Chang has spent the majority of the 2019 campaign with Triple-A Columbus this season. He has amassed a .253 average with 15 doubles, nine home runs, and one triple through 68 games. The Taiwan native has also accumulated 39 RBI through that same time frame.
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