As one of the mainstays of the Cleveland franchise, Jose Ramirez has had a remarkable career. As a four-time all-star and Silver Slugger, he has been there through some of the best Cleveland teams. When it is all said and done, he will likely be one of the best players to play for the organization. Currently, he is on the cusp of reaching something remarkable. As of Sunday, Ramirez has 198 career home runs (all with Cleveland) and has the chance to hit 200 Home Runs.
Total Home Runs
Jose Ramirez has been with Cleveland since 2013. It took a while for Ramirez to be a home run hitter. It wasn’t until 2016 that he reached double digits for the first time (when he hit 11). After his incredible 2016 playoff run, the home runs start pouring in for the infielder. In 2017, he hit 29, 39 the following year, 23 in 2019, and 17 during the shortened 2020 season. In the last two seasons, he has hit 36 and 29 as an all-star in each season. That put him at 192 to start the 2023 season.
The Cleveland Guardians have done a lot of great things this season, but hitting home runs is not one of them. Tampa Bay is leading the league with 97 home runs. Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets make up the middle of the pack at 57 home runs. Oakland is currently 29th in the league with 36, and Cleveland is a distant last with 30 home runs in 49 games. Currently, Ramirez has six home runs which make up 20 percent of Cleveland’s home runs. This is still a young core in Cleveland that is hitting for contact instead of hitting for power. Which makes Jose Ramirez’s run more impressive.
Legacy
Jose Ramirez is hitting in the heart of the Guardians’ lineup, and hitting 200 Home Runs would cement his legacy among the all-time greats in Cleveland. He is currently 10th in most home runs hit in a Cleveland uniform. Not only would he be the 10th player to hit 200 home runs for Cleveland, but has the chance to climb up the all-time list. If Ramirez were to end the season with 25 home runs, that would put him in sole possession of 5th among Cleveland hitters. He would pass Cleveland legends like Travis Hafner, Larry Doby, and Carlos Santana. If Ramirez hits 45 more home runs in his career, that would put him second on the all-time list, behind only Jim Thome. If Ramirez were to stay healthy and in Cleveland, he could be the Guardians’ all-time home runs leader.
When Jose Ramirez hits this milestone, he will be the 27th active MLB player to reach the milestone. Ahead of him are former teammates Josh Donaldson and Carlos Santana. Only 318 players have reached 200 home runs. While it is unlikely that Ramirez will reach the echelon of 500, this is still something to pay attention to.
When will number 200 come?
Home Runs 197 and 198 came in the doubleheader against the New York Mets. The next three opponents for Cleveland are the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Minnesota Twins. Jose Ramirez will likely have 200 by June 4.
Photo Credit- Gregory Fisher- USA TODAY Sports
