CLEVELAND -- Standing on second base in the 10th inning on Thursday, José Ramírez heard the chants from his teammates in the Guardians’ dugout. A smile flashed across his face as he looked their way and pointed to the video board at Progressive Field -- which was recognizing him for making baseball history.
After swiping second in the 10th inning on Thursday, Ramírez became the first player in Cleveland franchise history with at least 250 career steals and 250 home runs. His achievement set up the Guardians for a 4-3 walk-off win over the Twins, when Ramírez scored on an Angel Martínez base hit.
The win capped off a 6-4 homestand for the Guardians, and it came following a pair of rain delays that totaled two hours and 23 minutes.
“I was smiling,” said Ramírez through team interpreter Agustin Rivero, of that moment during the 10th. “It was a good moment, but especially seeing all the guys in the dugout trying to cheer me up and chanting my name.”
Along with becoming the first Cleveland player to pull off the feat, in his 13th big league season, Ramírez became:
• The 24th player in Major League history with 250 homers and 250 steals
• The second switch-hitter (along with Carlos Beltrán)
• The first primary third baseman (75 percent of games played at the position)
• The seventh player to achieve the feat (Robin Yount, Brewers; Craig Biggio, Astros; Derek Jeter, Yankees; Ryne Sandberg, Cubs; Willie Mays, Giants; Barry Bonds, Giants). J-Ram is the fourth player to do it while having played with just one team in his career (as of now), along with Yount, Biggio and Jeter.
“It's just fun to watch,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “It's a testament to hard work for a really long time and being really, really good for a long time. … He just continues to get accolade after accolade, and I really enjoy watching it.”
Ramírez (who moved to second in franchise history in extra-base hits on April 21 vs. the Yankees) came up big in the 10th inning. First, he hit a game-tying RBI single off Minnesota’s Justin Topa, to drive home automatic runner Steven Kwan.
Sensing an opportunity to get in scoring position, Ramírez took off for second on a 1-1 offering from Topa to Kyle Manzardo. He dove in safely with a headfirst slide ahead of shortstop Carlos Correa’s tag.
“I feel very happy about achieving it,” Ramírez said. “But most importantly, thank you God for keeping me healthy and being able to play the game. Milestones are important, but for me the really important part is to keep playing and trying to win. Winning is the most important thing for me, and I still feel young.
“I feel like I can still continue doing this and hopefully we can continue adding up.”
Ramírez was on the move again for third when Martínez knocked a base hit to right field perfectly through the 3-4 hole. Ramírez coasted home to score the game-winning run.
This is Martínez’s second season playing in the Majors, after his June 22 debut last season. He feels fortunate to have a player such as Ramírez to learn from.
“That's the best example a young player can have,” Martínez said through Rivero. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have it in my own team, so I get to see that person in person every day. I think that's the best way for you to learn, to understand how you have to prepare and go out there and compete.”
From 2016-24, Ramírez averaged 38 doubles, 27 homers, 25 stolen bases and 94 RBIs. Last season, he finished one homer and one double shy of becoming the second player (Alfonso Soriano) with a 40-40-40 season.
Those are all gushy figures, but just as important is that Ramírez averaged 141 games played over that span. He plays the game and takes care of his body at a high level, and if he continues on this trajectory, the 300-300 Club likely won't be far off. (That one is -- as you'd expect -- even more exclusive: Only eight Major League players have reached that many homers and steals in their careers.)
“You have to take care of your body every day,” Vogt said. “You have to work hard and you have to continue to push yourself to get better in all areas. Hosey does that day in and day out, and he models that for the rest of our players. That's the thing we love.
“To get these achievements and to get these things for as long, you have to continue to develop and make yourself better every day. And Hosey does that.”
Ramírez sat down at the podium in Cleveland’s media interview room for his postgame press conference. The second base bag from Thursday’s game rested in front of him on the table. Ramírez said it will join three other bases in a personal collection from key moments in his career.
Speaking one locker over from Ramírez’s postgame, Guardians outfielder Jhonkensy Noel summarized his teammate after the big day.
“When you're talking about Hosey, you're talking about the GOAT,” Noel said.