Guardians Close To Extension With Jose Ramirez

By Mark Polishuk | January 24, 2026 at 8:42am CDT

Jose Ramirez appears to be nearing another extension with the Guardians that will keep the third baseman in Cleveland through his age-39 season in 2032. Z101 Digital’s Hector Gomez was the first to report about the agreement and described it as complete, while Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes that the Guards and Ramirez’s reps at Republik Sports are still “working on” the new arrangement.

Ramirez still has three seasons and $69MM remaining on the seven-year extension he signed with Cleveland in April 2022. Gomez writes that this new extension will pay $106MM more to Ramirez over the 2029-32 seasons, but there will be some restructuring of Ramirez’s salary. As per Heyman, the $175MM owed to Ramirez over the next seven seasons will now include $70MM in deferred money.

Assuming the extension is finalized, it should ensure that Ramirez remains in a Guards uniform throughout the entirety of his career, only further cementing his place as a Cleveland baseball legend. Ramirez signed with the organization as an international free agent in 2009 at age 17, and has gone on to hit .279/.353/.504 with 285 home runs and 287 steals (out of 349 chances) over 6759 plate appearances. Between his strong offense and impressive glovework at third base, Ramirez has amassed 57.6 bWAR over his career — the fifth-highest total of any player in Indians/Guardians history.

Ramirez turned 33 last September but doesn’t appear to be slowing down, as he hit .283/.360/.503 with 30 homers and a career-best 44 steals over 673 PA. These big numbers and his leading role in the Guardians’ late-season surge to the AL Central title helped Ramirez earn a third-place finish in AL MVP voting. While the MVP trophy continues to elude Ramirez, he has now recorded a second-place finish (in 2020), three thirds, and three other top-six placements during his outstanding career.

While Ramirez continues to deliver elite production, committing $106MM to a player (especially through his age 36-39 seasons) is no small matter for a lower-payroll team like the Guardians. The new money included in Ramirez’s extension represents the third-highest guarantee Cleveland has ever given to a player, behind just Ramirez’s previous extension and their seven-year, $106.5MM extension with the since-traded Andres Gimenez in 2023. That said, the $70MM worth of deferred money will lower the current-day price tag of the extension, and allow some extra payroll flexibility for the front office.

This is the third extension Ramirez has signed with Cleveland, as his first multi-year pact with the team was a five-year, $26MM deal covering the 2017-2021 seasons that included a pair of club options. Obviously Ramirez vastly outperformed his paycheck in that deal, and after exercising their 2022 option to retain Ramirez, the Guardians and the third baseman worked out the second extension that saw five years and $124MM in new money added to the new deal.

t was known that the Guardians explored trade scenarios involving Ramirez prior to that 2022 extension, as it has long been the organization’s habit to trade star players before reaching free agency. While not every deal of a star has worked out, the Guards have hit on enough of these trades to replenish their system with younger (and cheaper) talent while avoiding the higher price tags associated with players nearing the end of their arbitration control.

Ramirez is the exception to the rule. The seven-time All-Star has been open about how much he enjoys playing in Cleveland, and he has backed up that stance by leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table to re-up with the Guards not once, but now twice. Of course, it remains to be seen how productive Ramirez will still be by the end of the 2028 season, yet this added $106MM could be viewed as something of a thank-you to a star player for his years of service, as well an investment in the idea that Ramirez will continue delivering big numbers. Removing the deferred money from the equation, and the Guardians will be paying Ramirez only $105MM over the 2026-32 seasons.

The timing of the extension is interesting, as there was seemingly no huge rush to tack more years onto a deal that already ran through 2028. However, the Guards may have wanted to get something done in advance of the next collective bargaining agreement, as rumors persist that the league (as part of their overall desire to curb playing spending) may at least look into some kinds of restrictions against deferred money in contracts. The Dodgers have most famously included deferrals in many of their high-priced deals in recent years, though many teams in both large and smaller markets have also pursued deferrals, with Cleveland’s new pact with Ramirez acting as the latest example of the latter.

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Guardians just got humbled by White Sox's surprise bullpen signing

By Henry Palattella

19 hours ago

The Cleveland Guardians clearly made adding to the bullpen their priority this offseason. In fact, they made it so much of a priority that the only big league additions they made to their roster this year have come in the form of bullpen additions.

As of now, those additions are Colin Holderman, Connor Brogdon, Peyton Pallette and Shawn Armstrong are in the big league fold while Codi Heuer and Pedro Avila are lingering in the background.

It’s a great group of depth arms behind Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and others.

But all those moves look a bit more underwhelming now thanks to the White Sox’s signing of free agent Seranthony Domínguez on Friday, which was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. It’s a two-year, $20 million deal.

The White Sox were able to free up a bunch of money on their 2026 payroll by trading Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets earlier this week, and signing Domínguez was the perfect use of those newfound funds.

[ Recent White Sox Addition In the Luis Robert Trade, Luisangel Acuña's 4-homer game unprecedented in Venezuela. The Lara press department assures that Luisangel Acuña is the first player in LVBP history with at least 5 home runs, 5 doubles and 5 stolen bases in a postseason . Acuna can improve on those numbers as his team will advance to the LVBP finals to qualify for the Caribbean Series - See Just Baseball: Major League teams OTHER THAN the Tribe ]

While Domínguez won’t be able to help pull the White Sox out of the American League Central basement by himself, he has a history of being an effective high-leverage reliever and immediately becomes the best closer option the White Sox have had since Liam Hendriks at the beginning of the decade.

Last season Domínguez posted a 3.16 ERA in 62 2/3 innings with the Orioles and Blue Jays, and added 11 1/3 effective innings in Toronto’s postseason run. Perhaps the biggest reason for that success was a change in his arsenal, as he added a new splitter and curveball in 2025 that popped his strikeout rate up to 30.3%.

While his walk rate of 13.8% was one of the worst marks in baseball, he was in the 94th percentile in whiff rate and the 91st percentile in strikeout rate. That’s the trade-off the White Sox will gladly make.

It’s also the kind of pitching makeup that none of the Guardians’ new additions have. Shawn Armstrong is the best of the bunch (2.31 ERA last season), but his strikeout rate was a more modest 26.1%.

Holderman, Brogdon and Pallette all have intriguing peripherals, none of them have the major league track record that Domínguez has.

Part of the reason the Guardians have been able to feast on the White Sox in recent years has been due to Chicago’s lack of a shutdown closer.

Jordan Leasure led Chicago with seven saves last season, and there was a point in April where they turned to MIke Clevinger to try to close out a game against Cleveland. It didn’t go well.

The White Sox already made an impressive move this offseason by signing Munetaka Murakami to a two-year contract, and their decision to sign Domínguez to a contract of the same length speaks to the internal belief Chris Getz has in his team’s window to succeed.

The Guardians will get their first chance to see Domínguez and the White Sox on June 22 at Rate Field.

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11:02AM: The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal has the breakdown of Ramirez’s restructured contract and new extension. Ramirez will earn an even $25MM in each of the seven seasons from 2026-32, but with $10MM in deferred money each year. This means that the $69MM Ramirez was initially slated to earn from 2026-28 has now been bumped down to $45MM in upfront money, giving the Guardians some extra flexibility to perhaps make other short-term roster additions. The new deal also includes increased incentive bonuses, such as $500K for an MVP award.

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12:19PM: The two sides have agreed to the extension, ESPN’s Jeff Passan writes, and the deal will be finalized once Ramirez passes a physical.

Jose Ramirez gives Cleveland Guardians gift with another extension

By David Hill | Last updated Jan 24, 2026 1:29 PM ET

Third baseman Jose Ramirez has spent his entire career with the Cleveland Guardians. He may never play for another team.

Insider Hector Gomez reported that Ramirez signed a seven-year, $175 million extension despite having three more years left on his current contract. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Ramirez will earn $25 million per year with $10 million deferred. His bonus incentives have also increased, in addition to other perks.

Signed as an international free agent in November 2009, Ramirez moved quickly through the system to make his major league debut in 2013. He shuffled between Triple-A and the majors for the next two years before establishing himself in the majors in 2016, posting a .312/.363/.462 batting line over his 618 plate appearances, hitting 11 homers and 46 doubles while stealing 22 bases.

Jose Ramirez continues path to Hall of Fame with Cleveland Guardians

His 2016 performance was a springboard into what may well be a Hall of Fame career. A seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger, Ramirez has a career .279/.353/.504 batting line in his 6,759 plate appearances, hitting 285 home runs and 398 doubles while stealing 287 bases. He is likely to become the ninth member of the 300-homer/300-stolen base club during the 2026 season.

Ramirez is not showing any signs of slowing down. He posted a .283/.360/.503 batting line with 30 homers and 34 doubles in his 673 plate appearances while stealing 44 bases. That performance led to him finishing third in the AL MVP vote for the third time.

The Guardians have been quiet for much of the offseason, signing relievers Shawn Armstrong and Colin Holderman and a slew of minor league deals. Signing Ramirez on a team-friendly extension could lead to other moves, such as a long-discussed extension with outfielder Steven Kwan. If so, Ramirez will have given the Guardians another gift with his loyalty to the organization.


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[ Results of a Google search ]

The baseball world views José Ramírez’s contract extensions (both in 2022 and the reported 2026 extension) with a mix of awe at his elite production and surprise at his willingness to take below-market deals to remain with the Cleveland Guardians. He is widely regarded as one of the best, most durable, and most underpaid superstars in Major League Baseball.

Here is a breakdown of how the rest of the baseball world feels:

Respect for "Hometown" Loyalty:

Many fans and analysts admire Ramírez for prioritizing comfort, loyalty, and his love for the city of Cleveland over chasing maximum dollars in free agency. He is viewed as a "team first" superstar who has secured his legacy as a future franchise icon.

Awe at the Value:

Experts widely consider his deals to be incredibly team-friendly. For example, the 2022 deal ($141M over 7 years) was seen as a massive bargain given his consistent Top-5 MVP voting finishes. The 2026 extension, which reportedly takes him through 2032 with significant deferred money, is viewed as another massive victory for the Guardians' front office.

Regarded as Elite/HOF Caliber:

Despite not receiving the same national spotlight as superstars on larger-market teams, Ramírez is viewed by peers and analysts as a top-tier performer, with discussions often pointing to his future induction into the Hall of Fame.

"Best Value" Contract in MLB:

The sentiment is that Ramírez is consistently overlooked nationally but respected by players, as evidenced by his high All-Star voting, despite his below-market pay structure.

Relief and Admiration from Cleveland Fans:

For fans, the extension feels like securing the "heart and soul" of the team, with many believing he will eventually have a statue outside the stadium.

In summary,

the consensus is that the Guardians secured a bargain for a franchise legend who genuinely wanted to stay, resulting in widespread respect for both the player's integrity and the team's ability to retain him.

[ Thoughts On How the Player's Association is taking the news )

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Superstar 3B Ramírez near extension to stay with Guardians through 2032 (source)

CLEVELAND -- Over his 13-year career in Cleveland, José Ramírez has emerged as the face of the Guardians franchise and an all-time icon in Cleveland sports. Now, the 33-year-old is close to a contract extension that could keep him in Northeast Ohio for the rest of his career.

Ramírez is nearing an extension with the Guardians that would span through his age-39 season, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Saturday. Ramírez, who has three years and $69 million left on the seven-year extension he signed in 2022, would have what amounts to a seven-year, $175 contract that runs through 2032.

The team has not confirmed the deal.

Ramírez would receive a full no-trade clause and annual salaries of $25 million from 2026-32, with $10 million deferred each season to be paid starting in 2036, according to a source. His award bonuses would be doubled; among them, he would receive $500,000 for winning Most Valuable Player, $300,000 for landing second or third and $150,000 for a fourth- or fifth-place finish.

And he is to receive certain other perks, including travel on a private jet if he attends the All-Star Game and an extra hotel room on road trips.

Ramírez has long expressed his appreciation for Cleveland, which he’s made home in the years after he joined the Guardians organization in 2009 as an international signing out of the Dominican Republic. And since he made his MLB debut on Sept. 1, 2013, he’s transformed from a steady utility player into one of the best players in MLB.

Not only has Ramírez solidified himself as the engine that makes the Guardians go, but he’s become one of the best players in franchise history -- and in the storied annals of Cleveland sports. His résumé gets stronger every year and is befitting of a spot in Cooperstown one day.

“Anytime Hosey’s on the field, I love watching him play,” Guardians president Chris Antonetti told MLB.com this past summer. “In the batter's box, when he's on the bases, defensively. It's every facet.

“He is really a special player, and someone I definitely don't take for granted. It's been a privilege and honor to get to watch him play for the last 12 Major League seasons and then a handful of seasons before that in the Minor Leagues. He's a joy to watch.”

In 13 seasons, Ramírez has earned seven All-Star Game nods, which is tied for second most in club history with Hall of Famers Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby, and Bob Lemon, and Ken Keltner. Bob Feller ranks first with eight.

A six-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Ramírez has slashed .279/.353/.504 in his career while logging 398 doubles, 285 home runs, 949 RBIs and 287 stolen bases. He’s on the cusp of becoming only the ninth player in MLB history to join the prestigious 300-homer, 300-steals club, and he could do so early in the 2026 season.

José Ramírez finishes third for AL MVP

This past season, in his continued march up the all-time franchise leaderboards, Ramírez surpassed Earl Averill for first in extra-base hits (726) in 2025, and usurped Albert Belle for the franchise’s most multi-homer games (27). He surpassed Hall of Famer Jim Thome for second in franchise history in RBIs last season (984), and he is closing in on Averill (1,084).

Ramírez ranks second in home runs to Thome (337) and in stolen bases behind Kenny Lofton (452). While he has work to do in both categories, given the length of his new deal, Ramírez figures to make a push for first place in each of those categories by the time his career is all said and done.

By that point, Ramírez could stand as the most decorated player in franchise history. What we know is he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.


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From the Beginning

Ramírez grew up in poverty in Baní, Dominican Republic. He is the first-born son of Silveria Mateo and Sito Ramírez.

He says that by the age of 13, he was already playing in a league for adults. He looked up to MVP Miguel Tejada, who also grew up in Baní and often returned to do philanthropic work, a legacy Ramírez would grow up to continue. There is now an all-turf field, donated by Ramírez and the Cleveland Guardians, located near Ramírez's childhood home that bears his name.

As a teenager, Ramírez played baseball in the Dominican Prospect League. In 2009, at the age of 17, Ramírez and other unsigned prospects traveled to the Cleveland Indians' Dominican facility in Boca Chica, where an Indians scout, Ramon Peña, noticed the oft-overlooked Ramírez when Ramírez racked up 11 hits in four games across three days.

He signed with the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent in 2009, and made his MLB debut in 2013.

He signed with the Indians, receiving a $50,000 signing bonus.

José Ramírez was selected as a reinforcement player by the Leones del Escogido for the 2013 Serie del Caribe (Caribbean Series).

Following his performance in the 2012-13 Dominican Winter League with the Toros del Este, he was added to the Escogido roster for the tournament held in Hermosillo, Mexico, from February 1–7, 2013.

The 2013 Caribbean Series championship game was an historic 18-inning thriller where Mexico’s Yaquis de Obregón defeated the Dominican Republic’s Leones del Escogido 4-3 on February 7-8, 2013, in Hermosillo, Mexico. Doug Clark’s walk-off home run in the 18th inning secured the title in the longest game in tournament history, which lasted nearly seven hours.

Key Details regarding 2013 Serie del Caribe:

Role:

He served as the primary second baseman for the Dominican team, forming a double-play combination with Miguel Tejada.

Performance:

Ramírez was named to the All-Star team as the second baseman. He batted .226/.385/.387 during the tournament.

Impact:

He was noted for key plays, including in the semifinal against Mexico, where he singled in the 11th inning to help setup the winning run.

Context:

This appearance came just months before his MLB debut with the Cleveland Indians in September 2013.

All-Star team

Francisco Peña (DOM) Catcher
Donell Linares (DOM) First baseman
José Ramírez (DOM) Second baseman
Mario Lisson (VEN) Third baseman
Miguel Tejada (DOM) Shortstop
Marlon Byrd (MEX) Outfielder
Doug Clark (MEX) Outfielder
Ricardo Nanita (DOM) Outfielder
Bárbaro Cañizares (MEX) Designated hitter
Luis Mendoza (MEX) Right-handed starting pitcher
Efraim Nieves (PUR) Left-handed starting pitcher
David Reyes (MEX) Relief pitcher
Saúl Rivera (VEN) Closer
Awards
Luis Mendoza (MEX) Most Valuable Player
Audo Vicente (DOM) Manager

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Game 1 Magallenes 2 Escogido 7
0-2, R 1, RBI 0, HR 0, W 2, K 1, AVE 000, OBP 500, SLG 000

Fernando Valenzuela (who would be one of six new inductees into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame two days later) threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Navegantes got out to a quick start, as 2B Reegie Corona took Ángel Castro's second pitch of the game deep for a homer. In the fourth, they made it 2-0 on a double by 2B Cesar Suarez, a ground-out and a single by 1B Jose Castillo. Those would be the only three hits Castro and two relievers would allow though, as they finished with a 9-strikeout, three-hit gem.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Leones began to come back against Sergio Perez. With one away, LF Ricardo Nanita singled and SS Miguel Tejada drew a walk. After a wild pitch, 1B Donell Linares hit a sacrifice fly. In the 5th, they took the lead for good. 3B Fernando Tatis singled, then #9 hitter and C Francisco Pena cracked a 2-run homer. 2B José Ramírez walked. Perez was yanked in favor of Yeiper Castillo. Ramírez stole second, then DH Hanley Ramírez singled. Nanita followed with a RBI single (one of three hits for the day) and Tejada added a sacrifice fly to cap a four-run inning.

Game 3 Escogido 6 Caguas 2
0-3, R 1, RBI 0, HR 0, W 2, K 0, AVE 000, OBP 444, SLG 000

For four innings, Escogido's Edward Valdez and Caguas's Giancarlo Alvarado traded goose eggs. In the top of the 5th, 3B Luis Jimenez hit a one-out double off Alvarado. Following a passed ball by C Johnny Monell Jr. and an out, C Alberto Rosario hit into an error by Caguas SS Luis Mateo to make it 1-0.

In the bottom of the 5th, the Criollos took their only lead. DH Aaron Bates doubled off Valdez, then Monell avenged his earlier defensive miscue with a two-run jack off Valdez. The Escogido bullpen excelled, though, with Ramon Garcia, Jailen Peguero, Armando Rodriguez and Fernando Rodney combining to allow one hit and fan six batters in 4 1/3 shutout innings.

2B José Ramírez led off the 6th with a walk from Alvarado. After another Monell passed ball and an out, Cole McCurry relieved but served up a game-tying double to LF Ricardo Nanita.Ramirez scoring from second. In the 7th, the Leones went ahead. RF Jordany Valdespin led off with a double off Jose de la Torre. With two outs, de la Torre tried to pick off Valdespin, but made an error, sending him to third. De la Torre continued to blow it himself by throwing a wild pitch to put the Leones ahead, 3-2.

In the 8th, Escogido added some insurance. DH Hanley Ramírez drew a walk from Rob Bryson and stole second. After an out by Nanita, SS Miguel Tejada walked as well. 1B Donell Linares then came through with a three-run homer to put it away.

Game 6 Obregon 5 Escogido 6 (11 INN)
3-5, R 2, RBI 0, HR 0, W 1, K 2, AVE 300, 0BP 533, SLG 400

The Dominicans had their closest scare yet, but beat the host country in extra innings to remain unbeaten at the midway point.

Escogido got on the board first. In the bottom of the second, Edgar González plunked LF Ricardo Nanita, then SS Miguel Tejada hit his 14th Caribbean Series home run, extending his record, to make it 2-0. 3B Oscar Robles led off the next inning with a walk from Lorenzo Barcelo, then C Jose Felix singled. CF Chris Roberson laid down a sacrifice bunt, then SS Alfredo Amezaga singled in Robles.

In the fourth, Obregón took the lead. 1B Jesse Gutierrez and DH Bárbaro Cañizares hit back-to-back doubles to make it 2-2. RF Marlon Byrd singled in Cañizares for a 3-2 edge. 2B Carlos Valencia bunted Byrd over. Robles then singled to center, but Byrd was thrown out trying to score as well. Willy Lebrón replaced Barcelo in the 5th but could not stop the bleeding. Roberson led off with a double and Amezaga singled to put men on the corners. A wild pitch advanced Amezaga, then LF Doug Clark struck out. Gutierrez hit a sacrifice fly for a 4-2 edge. Cañizares drew a walk. Armando Rodriguez relieved Lebrón and walked Byrd, but Valencia flew out to end the threat.

The Dominican club stormed back in the bottom of the fifth against González, aided by poor Obregón defense. With one out, C Francisco Pena grounded into an error by Amezaga. 2B José Ramírez singled, as did RF Jordany Valdespin hit a RBI single to close it to 4-3. DH Hanley Ramírez doubled home both José Ramírez and Valdespin for a 5-4 edge. Escogido loaded the bases with two away with two out in the 7th but 1B Donell Linares flew out against Jose Cobos.

The Yaquis came back in the 9th. Roberson led off with a single off closer Fernando Rodney, stole second and took third on a wild pitch, but was thrown out trying to score on a grounder by Amezaga. It was the Yaquis' second runner thrown out at home that inning. Clark singled and stole second, then Gutierrez whiffed for out number two. Cañizares walked again, then Pena committed a passed ball to let Clark the tying run.

In the bottom of the 9th, Hanley Ramírez drew a two-out walk from Luis Ayala and stole second, but was stranded when cleanup hitter Nanita flew out. In the top of the 11th, Gutierrez hit a two-out double off Nelson Payano, the 9th Dominican hurler, but Cañizares flew out. In the bottom of that inning, PH Julio Lugo hit a one-out single off Ayala and José Ramírez singled him to third. Valdespin was intentionally walked to load the bases. Hanley Ramírez grounded to Robles, who threw home to get Lugo. Called on again in the clutch, Nanita did the job of the cleanup batter, singling in José Ramírez with the winner.

Game 7 Caguas 6 Escogido 4 (10 INN)
1-4, R 0, RBI 0, HR 0, W 1, K 1, AVE 286, OBP 500, SLG 429

The only winless team remaining stunned the only unbeaten team, as Puerto Rico downed the Dominican Republic in extra innings. Caguas took advantage of wildness by Escogido starter Dustin Richardson in the second inning. 1B Carlos Rivera led off with a single, the first of his three hits that day. One out later, DH Johnny Monell Jr. drew a walk (he would reach all five times today). CF Jorge Padilla was plunked to load the bases. RF Edgardo Baez drew a walk from Richardson to score Rivera. After SS Luis Mateo popped out, LF Jesús Feliciano drew Richardson's third walk of the inning, forcing in a second run.

In the bottom of the third, CF Abraham Almonte singled off Michael Nix. Two outs later, RF Jordany Valdespin cracked a two-run homer to even the score. The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth, with Puerto Rico stranding the bases loaded in the top of the sixth when 2B Rey Navarro flew out. In the bottom of the sixth, Jose de la Torre relieved Nix. With one out, he walked LF Ricardo Nanita. 3B Miguel Tejada singled, then de la Torre hit 1B Donell Linares. A sacrifice fly by DH Julio Lugo made it 3-2 Escogido.

In the 7th, the Leones added some insurance, when C Alberto Rosario, the #9 hitter, took reliever Cole McCurry deep. In the top of the 8th, though, Caguas came back against Tony Pena Jr., the fifth Escogido hurler. With two outs, Mateo singled. Feliciano hit into an error by SS Hanley Ramírez. Navarro then came through with a two-run single to tie the score. In the bottom of the 8th, Escogido drew two walks but Lugo and Almonte were retired.

Caguas had a good chance in the top of the 10th against Nelson Payano. Rivera singled and Miguel Abreu pinch-ran for him. With one out, Monell walked, then Abreu stole third. Payano recovered to strike out the next batter, then Jailen Peguero relieved and fanned Baez to end the inning. In the bottom of the 9th, Rosario led off with a single against Eddy Ramos but got no further.

In the top of the tenth, Feliciano hit a one-out single against Peguero and Navarro followed with a game-winning home run, giving him four RBI in two at-bats after a 1-for-10 start to the Series. In the bottom of the 10th, Saul Rivera breezed through the heart of the Escogido order, striking out Hanley Ramírez and Nanita, then retiring Tejada on a grounder.

Game 10 Escogido 11 Obregon 6
1-5, R 1, RBI 3, HR 1, W 0, K 2, AVE 263, OBP 440, SLG 526

The Leones del Escogido would have clinched the title under the old format; instead, they clinched a spot in the finals with the other three teams all in the mix at 2-3. They did it with a back-and-forth first third of the game, a mid-game fade and a late rally.

In the top of the first, RF Jordany Valdespin doubled off Marco Carrillo. After a strikeout by DH Hanley Ramírez, LF Ricardo Nanita singled in Valdespin for a 1-0 lead. Mexico quickly tied it in the bottom of the inning on a solo leadoff homer by CF Chris Roberson off Alfredo Figaro. In the top of the third, Jose Ramírez had a two-out single and scored from first on a single by Nanita. SS Miguel Tejada continued to pad his Series home run record with a 2-run shot to put the Dominicans in front, 4-1. After another hit, David Reyes relieved Carrillo and blanked the Leones for 4 1/3 innings, with one hit, no walks and seven whiffs.

The Escogido lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the third, SS Alfredo Amezaga hit into a one-out error by Tejada. After a balk by Figaro, LF Doug Clark singled in Amezaga, one of 3 hits on the game for Clark. 1B Jesse Gutierrez hit into a miscue by 2B José Ramírez. RF Marlon Byrd flew out, but 38-year-old DH Bárbaro Cañizares came through with a two-run double to tie it.

The Yaquis gave the capacity crowd something to cheer about in the bottom of the fourth. With one away, 3B Agustín Murillo singled and advanced on a wild pitch. Roberson struck out, but SS Alfredo Amezaga tripled for a 5-4 edge. He then came home on a single by Clark. That was it for Figaro, which was bad news for the Mexican hitters feasting on him. Willy Lebrón, Jhonny Nunez and Fernando Rodney combined for 5 1/3 shutout innings of relief, with one hit, two walks and six strikeouts.

In the top of the 8th, Adrian Ramirez replaced Reyes and allowed a single to Valdespin. Oscar Villarreal relieved and started on a strong note, fanning #3 batter Hanley Ramírez and cleanup hitter Nanita. Tejada singled in Valdespin to close it to 6-5. 1B Donell Linares drew a walk from Villarreal to force in a run and tie the game. 3B Luis Jimenez walked as well to put Escogido ahead. Luis Ayala was the next reliever the Yaquis tried; CF Abraham Almonte greeted him with a two-run single to RF. PH Julio Lugo singled, then leadoff man José Ramírez cracked a 3-run homer to finish the 7-run inning.


Game 11 Escogido 2 Magallanes 2
0-5, R 0, RBI 0, HR 0, W 0, K 2, AVE 208, OBP 367, SLG 417

The Navegantes lost a shot in the finals by falling to Escogido in a well-fought game. Escogido only took the field a few minutes before the game, as they complained about broken promises by team management over finances. Venezuela got on the board in the bottom of the third against Carlos Pimentel thanks to bad defense. LF Cesar Suarez hit into a two-base throwing error by SS José Ramírez. Suarez then stole third and scored on a throwing error on the play by C Alberto Rosario. In the top of the 4th, the Leones tied it when 2B Julio Lugo hit a two-out solo shot off Sergio Perez, the only run Perez would allow.

Magallanes went back ahead in the bottom of the 5th versus reliever Lorenzo Barcelo. With two out, SS Renny Osuna tripled, then came home on a single by Suarez. Escogido tied it again in the 7th. Rosario singled off Gabriel Alfaro; with two outs, DH Hanley Ramírez singled to third and an error on the play by 3B Luis Nunez led Rosario score. The game was still 2-2 going into the 9th, when each team turned to one of the Mexican League's top two in saves for 2012: Victor Moreno for Magallanes and Jailen Peguero for Escogido. Moreno walked RF Jordany Valdespin wit hone out and struck out Hanley Ramírez. Marcos Tabata then came in to pitch and served up a two-run, game-losing gopher ball to backup 1B Francisco Pena. Peguero, on the other hand, allowed only a Luis Landaeta single in the bottom of the 9th to save it.

Game 13 Obregon 4 Escogido 3 (18 INN)
2-7, R 0, RBI 1, HR 0, W 2, K 0, AVE 226, OBP 385, SLG 387

The finale was one for the ages, setting Caribbean Series records for pitchers used (21) and duration (7 hours, 28 minutes) while tying the record for innings (set in 2007).

Escogido got their only run in 7 2/3 innings off Mexican starter Rodrigo López in the third on a leadoff double by CF Abraham Almonte, a botched pick-off by López and a one-out grounder by 2B José Ramírez. Leones starter Angel Castro shut out the home country for four innings, but Mexico rallied in the 5th to take the lead. 1B Bárbaro Cañizares doubled and was bunted over by DH Karim García. Castro walked 2B Oscar Robles, then 3B Agustín Murillo grounded in Cañizares. C Jose Felix hit one to RF Jordany Valdespin, but Valdespin made a crucial error, scoring Robles to make it 2-1. Those would be the only two runs in 7 2/3 innings by Castro, who gave up just two hits.

In the top of the 9th, the Yaquis had their best chance for insurance, but failed to come through, while Escogido burned through four relievers. The inning began with Ramon Garcia walking LF Doug Clark. Jhonny Nunez relieved and RF Marlon Byrd laid down a sacrifice bunt. Cañizares was intentionally walked. A fly-out by Karim García advanced Clark to third. Nelson Payano was summoned from the bullpen and hit 1B Jesse Gutierrez. Audo Vicente turned to Fernando Rodney as his fourth hurler of the frame and Rodney got Mruillo on an inning-ending grounder. In the bottom of the 9th, Luis Ayala was summoned to close it up but gave up a leadoff homer to LF Ricardo Nanita to even the score.

In the bottom of the 10th, Escogido got a quick start on hits by C Alberto Rosario (off Ayala) and José Ramírez (off Adrian Ramirez) but Valdespin bunted into an out at third. Oscar Villarreal retired DH Hanley Ramírez (1 for 8 on the day) and Dennys Reyes came in to get Nanita to end the threat.

The Yaquis took the lead again in the top of the 14th, when Karim García homered off Jailen Peguero, the 7th Escogido hurler. In the bottom of the inning, the Leones evened it back up against the 10th Mexican pitcher, Edgar González. José Ramírez and Valdespin drew back-to-back walks. Hanley Ramírez hit into a force at third, then Nanita grounded into a force at second. SS Miguel Tejada singled to right to score Valdespin, then 1B Donell Linares whiffed to end the inning.

In the top of the 18th, Clark homered off Edward Valdez, the 10th Dominican hurler, his shot just clearing the right-field fence, for what would be the Series-winning blow. Obregón then turned to Marco Carrillo to seal the deal, having already tossed three shutout innings from the 15th to the 17th. He retired both Hanley Ramírez and Nanita, but Caribbean Series legend Tejada singled to keep the Escogido hopes alive. With an 0-1 count, Linares then flew to Byrd to end the game and the Series.

Obregón won the finale despite a combined 0-for-21 effort from CF Chris Roberson, SS Alfredo Amezaga (the 1-2 batters) and C Felix.

Defense:
2B, G 6, INN 56, PO 12, A 11, E 3, DP 1, % 885
SS, G 2, INN 19, PO 1, A 5, E 1, DP 0, % 857

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[ Remember when Ramirez was an undrafted free agent. At best a versatile utility player. Francisco Lindor was the chosen one.

"Jose Ramirez was relatively unknown when he arrived to the Majors from Double-A with a swagger in his step and the bravado of a seasoned star. Francisco Lindor had the spotlight fixed on him from the day he was drafted. Ramirez still walks with his chest out, and Lindor continues to flash that smile that has made him one of the young faces of this game. Ramirez runs like his hair is on fire while legging out double after double. Lindor is more precise in his acrobatics."

No doubt in my mind that Ramirez was going to be a pretty good major league ball player.

Well, Ramirez and Lindor both proved to be the best at their positions. Ramirez turned out to be a lot better than his utility lable predicted him to be. Both are superstars and are headed down that path to glory all the way to Cooperstown.

Wish both could have retired as Clevelanders. ]

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Welcome back to the Guardians Beat newsletter. My name is Tim Stebbins, and I'm heading into my second season covering Cleveland for MLB.com.

CLEVELAND -- As José Ramírez stood in the champagne-soaked home clubhouse at Progressive Field on Sept. 28, while the Guardians celebrated their improbable comeback to clinch the American League Central title, he shared a message that resonated across each square mile of Northeast Ohio.

“Cleveland is the best,” Ramírez told Guardians TV reporter Andre Knott. “I love Cleveland. Cleveland is my [home].”

That’s shaping up to remain so through the end of Ramírez’s playing career. The superstar third baseman is nearing a contract extension with the Guardians that will keep him in Cleveland through 2032, sources told MLB.com on Saturday. The extension (which will supersede the seven-year deal Ramírez signed in 2022) will be worth $25 million per season for seven years through the 2032 campaign, and includes $10 million deferred in each season, per sources.

Saturday’s news led to plenty of questions, including perhaps the most pressing: Will the deferrals give the Guardians additional financial flexibility in the near future or down the line to bolster their mix around Ramírez?

Ramírez is a perennial AL MVP Award candidate who has earned six Top 5 finishes in voting during his 13-year career. He has long been the driving force of Cleveland’s offense, including this past season, when he slashed .283/.360/.503 with 34 doubles, 30 homers, 85 RBIs and 44 stolen bases over 158 games.

As a team, Cleveland slashed .226/.296/.373 in 2025 (ranking 29th in the Majors in each of those categories) and averaged 3.97 runs per game (28th).

Ramírez one day could go down as the most decorated player in franchise history. But it’s no secret that the Guardians could use some additional firepower in the lineup. It’s been true all offseason, during which Cleveland has been relatively quiet beyond bolstering its bullpen with a handful of intriguing additions.

The Guardians hope that some of their offensive progression in 2026 will come via homegrown players to whom the club wants to provide opportunity. Chase DeLauter (ranked as the No. 46 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline), George Valera and C.J. Kayfus each debuted in ’25, and each is among the youngsters who could bolster the overall production this year.
Adding a proven right-handed hitter to complement the Guardians’ young mix, including in the outfield, made sense all offseason. Though we’re only a few weeks away from Spring Training opening, options remain in free agency -- including Miguel Andujar, Harrison Bader and Austin Hays.

The Guardians have enjoyed an extended run of organizational success. They’ve won the AL Central in six of the past 10 seasons and made the postseason seven times during that span. In 2025, they made history by overcoming a 15 1/2-game deficit to win the division.

The AL Central figures to be competitive once more in 2026, especially between the Guardians, Tigers and Royals. Detroit fell just one win shy of advancing to the AL Championship Series and will once again be led by back-to-back and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Among their offseason moves, the Tigers fortified their bullpen by signing veterans Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan.

After reaching the postseason in 2024, the Royals struggled offensively in ‘25 (ranking just ahead of the Guardians with 4.02 runs per game) and missed the postseason. Kansas City has added a few pieces to its lineup, including outfielders Isaac Collins (who finished fourth in 2025 NL Rookie of the Year Award voting) and former Guardian Lane Thomas (who signed a one-year free-agent deal).

Led by Ramírez and a rotation that dominated down the stretch this past season, the Guardians are set to be in the mix once more. They always have a chance with their seven-time All-Star and Superman leading the way.

But even superheroes need help sometimes, and Ramírez’s imminent extension could position the Guardians to give him some more.
Kyle Manzardo also will look to take another step after he hit 27 homers in his first full big league season last year, as will Bo Naylor and Brayan Rocchio -- both of whom are entering their third extended season in the Majors.

Cleveland has remained mindful of its young talent while considering potential acquisitions to add to the position-player mix. But there continues to be a potential balance to strike in adding pieces around Ramírez and allowing the youngsters opportunity to emerge in the Majors. The deferred money in Ramírez’s imminent deal could at least potentially provide flexibility to add help around Cleveland’s superstar -- now or in the near and long term. And along the way, the development of the Guardians’ younger players will only strengthen their outlook further.

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Jose Ramirez's extension should implore Guardians to make right move with Steven Kwan

Time to do the right thing.

By Henry Palattella

1 hour ago

On Saturday, the Guardians earned some much-needed goodwill by inking José Ramírez to another contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through the 2032 season.

It’s a contract extension that is going to impact the Guardians in many ways. First off, Ramírez is going to be a Guardian for the rest of his career, which is a huge win for him and the city of Cleveland as a whole.

But, in a bit of an ironic twist, spending money on Ramírez’s extension could also help the Guardians save money in the long-term. While they didn’t need to spend money on Ramírez this offseason since he was already under contract through 2028, Ramírez opened up contract talks this offseason and took yet another hometown discount in his deal.

The new contract will add four years and $106 million to the $69 million he was already owed over the next three seasons, and $70 million of his future earnings are going to be deferred.

That’s a great deal for any player, but it’s even better when you consider that it’s for one of the five best players in the sport.

And the best thing the Guardians can do with that financial flexibility is sign Steven Kwan to the long-term extension that he deserves.

The Guardians should repurpose some of the money they saved on Jose Ramirez to sign Steven Kwan to an extension
Kwan’s potential extension has been a lightning rod conversation in Cleveland for a couple years, and it hit a fever pitch last summer when his name was floated in rumors ahead of the trade deadline.

The Guardians held firm on their asking price for Kwan at both the trade deadline and winter meetings, but he only has two more seasons of team control remaining via arbitration and his price tag keeps rising.

Signing Kwan to an extension would be a costly proposition, but it’s clearly the right move considering he’s a four-time Gold Glove winner and has been a back-to-back All-Star.

Even though he had a subpar season last year (by his standards), he still slashed .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs, 56 RBI and 21 steals. He’s one of the best table-setters in baseball and has been a staple at the top of the Guardians’ lineup since he made his debut in 2022.

Cleveland’s outfielders hit just .223 last year and it’s scary to think about what that number would be if Kwan wasn’t a part of that picture. While the future of the outfield is bright thanks to the presence of Chase DeLauter, George Valera and others, it would be even brighter if Kwan was in the picture long-term.

At the end of December the Athletics signed outfielder Tyler Soderstrom to a team-friendly seven-year, $86 million extension, which should serve as the starting point for any potential Kwan talks. Chances are Kwan would want more than Soderstrom got (and deserves more), but that deal was a tangible example that there’s a way for the Guardians and Kwan to work out an extension.

Signing Ramirez to a long-term extension was a great way to salvage the offseason, and adding Kwan to that picture would make things even better.

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Does José Ramírez’s contract reveal David Blitzer’s imminent involvement in Guardians ownership?

Published: Jan. 29, 2026, 3:40 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When José Ramírez signed his historic $175 million contract extension with the Guardians this week, most of the focus naturally fell on the superstar third baseman. But a seemingly casual mention during Thursday’s press conference may have revealed something equally significant about the franchise’s future — minority owner David Blitzer played a role in the process.

“We heard David Blitzer’s name mentioned. Chris Antonetti said Paul Dolan and Blitzer were both involved intimately with the negotiation process. So, that’s the first time we’ve really heard that Blitzer’s had his hand in any of this,” Joe Noga noted on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast.

This revelation marks a significant departure from previous big contract announcements, where owner Paul Dolan would have been the sole ownership voice. Now, Blitzer — who purchased a significant minority stake in the Guardians in 2022 — appears to be taking a more active role in the team’s financial direction.

Paul Hoynes, who has covered the franchise for decades, immediately connected the dots to Blitzer’s potential future as majority owner.

“When Blitzer became a minority owner, he had an option to purchase the majority share of the club in 2028. This may be the wheels moving for that to happen,” Hoynes suggested.

Blitzer’s involvement makes perfect sense when considering the contract’s timeframe. The Ramírez extension runs through 2032, well beyond Blitzer’s reported option to become majority owner in 2028. As Hoynes succinctly explained, “He may inherit this contract as a majority owner. So, I guess he would have to be involved in it.”

The Philadelphia-based billionaire isn’t just any investor. As part-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and several European soccer clubs, Blitzer brings extensive sports business experience to Cleveland. His active participation in the Ramírez negotiations suggests he may be accelerating his learning curve about baseball operations.

While no explicit statements were made about a potential timeline shift, the collaborative approach between Dolan and Blitzer implies preparation for an eventual transition. The Guardians have operated under tight budget constraints throughout Dolan’s ownership, with the team’s payroll consistently ranking in MLB’s bottom third despite regular competitive success.

Could Blitzer’s involvement signal a shift toward increased spending? The Ramírez extension itself — the largest in franchise history — might be the first indication of a changing financial philosophy.

Though Antonetti and Dolan still emphasized the organization’s need to make careful financial decisions, Blitzer’s background with major-market teams suggests he may eventually bring a more aggressive approach to payroll decisions.

For Guardians fans who have watched homegrown stars depart for larger markets over the past two decades, Blitzer’s emergence in contract discussions offers a tantalizing glimpse of what could be a new era in Cleveland baseball.

The $175 million commitment to Ramírez might represent more than just securing a franchise icon — it could be the first move in Blitzer’s vision for the organization’s future, a future where he’s increasingly positioned to call the shots.

To hear more insights about Blitzer’s growing role and what it could mean for the Guardians’ spending philosophy, check out the complete Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast episode where this significant development was first discussed.

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Everything you wanted to know about Jose Ramirez’s record-setting contract with the Guardians

Updated: Jan. 29, 2026, 5:20 p.m.|Published: Jan. 29, 2026, 4:41 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s no surprise that Jose Ramirez’s historic seven-year $175 million extension with the Guardians did not take place overnight.

It turns out the deal, officially announced Thursday at Progressive Field, has been percolating for about a year. That’s not a surprise either. These things take time.

The surprise is that it was Ramirez pushing for the extension even though his previous extension with the Guardians ran through 2028. His agent, Rafa Nieves, didn’t warm to the idea right away, but Ramirez is a hard man to ignore.

If Cleveland ever needs an ambassador for the city, Ramirez is the guy. He can’t get enough of the city on the shores of Lake Erie even when it’s 17 degrees.




Guardians' owner Paul Dolan (right) and Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, meet with reporters Thursday to discuss Jose Ramirez's contract extension.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Here are some observations from Thursday’s press conference:

The Guardians’ front office turned out in force. Owner Paul Dolan, President Chris Antonetti, GM Mike Chernoff and Assistant GM Matt Forman were on hand. Antonetti credited Chernoff and Forman for doing the heavy lifting in negotiation with Ramirez and Nieves.

Antonetti also thanked Dolan and minority owner David Blitzer, saying they “were deeply involved in these negotiations.” It’s the first time Blitzer’s name has publicly surfaced in contract negotiations. Blitzer, the Guardians’ vice chairman and minority owner, has an option to buy the Guardians in 2028.

Antonetti added, “Without their help and resources, this wouldn’t have happened. This is the largest contract in our organization’s history, and it took an incredible effort to make it happen.”

Said Dolan, whose family has owned the team since February of 2000, “Jose’s appeal to this community is not just about the numbers, the wins and the offensive production. It’s really about who he is ... It’s the strut, that look that says, ‘if you underestimate me, you do so at your own peril.’”

Ramirez just finished his 11th season in Cleveland. He has made seven All-Star teams, won six Silver Slugger awards and has helped Cleveland win six AL Central titles since his debut in 2013. By the end of this contract, he statistically could be the most decorated hitter in franchise history.




Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez and interpreter/coach Agustin Rivero leave the dais Thursday after speaking to reporters at Progressive Field.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

“It’s important to me to say that this is the organization that gave me a chance,” said Ramirez, a native of the Dominican Republic, about why he pushed for the extension. “There’s a lot of discussion about why this contract happened, but for me it’s important to be in Cleveland. This is where my family is and where I look forward to completing my career.”

Ramirez would not say if he was going to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic in March. He did say he shares the same sense of pride in the Dominican as he does in playing for Cleveland. “I’m 50-50, 50% percent Dominican and 50% Cleveland,” said Ramirez, through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “My sons were born here, and I take pride in this city and what it represents to me.”

Ramirez was asked if he felt the front office has done enough over the winter to give him some help offensively in 2026. Last year the Guardians were one of the lowest-scoring teams in the big leagues, and they did next to nothing to improve it.

“I understand the market we’re in,” said Ramirez. “What I can control is how I prepare for the season. These are questions that should be asked to the front office.”

President Chris Antonetti said the Guardians will lean heavily on the group of position players that finished last season. He said they did not want to bring in free agents who would take away plate appearances from their young players. “We need to get better offensively,” said Antonetti. “But we believe that growth and development can come from the guys we have in the organization. If that proves to be incorrect, we’ll try to adjust over the course of the year.”

A big factor in getting Ramirez’s deal done was both sides agreeing to defer $70 million. It’s something the Guardians rarely do, so it took some time for both sides to reach an agreement on it. Initially it was thought that by deferring $10 million annually it would give the Guardians flexibility to sign other players. Antonetti, however, said it would not have a major impact on adding other players to the roster.

Asked what kind of player Ramirez will be at the end of his contract when he’s 39, Antonetti smiled and said, “I’m willing to bet Jose will continue to be a really good player. I know the odds may be against him, but that’s been the case for the entirety of his career.”

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How a casual name-drop could reveal more about the Guardians’ ownership timeline than first believed

Published: Jan. 30, 2026, 11:30 a.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A simple name drop during a press conference has ignited speculation that major changes are coming to the Guardians’ ownership structure – and it happened so smoothly that casual fans might have missed it entirely.

During the latest episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, beat reporters Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes broke down a seemingly innocuous moment from the José Ramírez contract extension announcement that could signal the beginning of the end for the Dolan family’s majority ownership.

“The first time that we had heard David Blitzer’s name come up, and it came up organically, it came up without being asked in a question that Chris Antonetti mentioned David Blitzer and Paul Dolan both were working together as part of these negotiations,” Noga pointed out, highlighting how unusual this unprompted reference was.

Hoynes, a veteran reporter who’s attended countless Guardians press conferences, immediately recognized the significance: “Blitzer has been a minority owner since 2022. That was the first time I ever heard anyone bring his name up without being asked. There was a message behind it.”

The podcast revealed that when directly questioned about the mention, Guardians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti confirmed the ownership transition was a factor in structuring Ramírez’s contract.

As Hoynes explained: “He was talking about the complexities of this deal with Ramirez and he was asked was one of the complications that the team could be changing ownership. And he said yes, that had to be taken into consideration and that Paul Dolan and David Blitzer worked closely together on this Ramirez extension.”

The timing couldn’t be more significant. With the franchise committing to Ramírez through potentially the end of his career, ensuring both current and future ownership were aligned on the massive financial commitment was essential. Blitzer, who became a minority stakeholder in 2022, has an option to become the majority owner – and now it appears that transition might be accelerating.

“Maybe that’s in progress. Maybe it’s kind of got some legs now,” Hoynes speculated, suggesting the ownership change could be moving forward more quickly than previously thought.

This revelation comes at a fascinating time for the franchise. The Guardians have shown restraint in free agency this offseason, focusing instead on youth development while potentially setting up flexibility for a mid-season pivot. Could this approach be influenced by the looming ownership transition?

For Cleveland fans, the potential end of the Dolan era would represent a seismic shift. The family has owned the team since 2000, overseeing multiple playoff appearances, three World Series runs, and the transition from Indians to Guardians. However, they’ve also been criticized for financial restraint, with the team routinely ranking among baseball’s bottom payrolls.

What would a Blitzer-led ownership group mean for Cleveland baseball? That remains to be seen, but the intentional inclusion of his name in major contract negotiations suggests he’s already wielding significant influence.

To hear the full discussion about this ownership revelation and what it could mean for the franchise’s future, check out the complete episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast.

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Podcast Transcript

Joe Noga: Welcome back to the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. I’m Joe Noga joined by Paul Hoynes. Hoynsie, the Guardians have the Jose Ramirez contract signing out of the way. The trucks are on their way to Arizona. Everything seems to be heading towards, you know, pitchers and catchers reporting in about what, less than two weeks actually, for those who are playing in the World Baseball Classic, we still don’t have a lot of confirmation on some of the names of the guys from the organization who are going to be on those rosters. You know, the biggest mystery, I guess right now is will Jose Ramirez be playing for the Dominican Republic? We’ve seen some superstars have their names rolled out by the Dominican team there and Jose has yet to be announced. But his reaction yesterday when asked about it kind of leaves it up in the air, kind of a mystery. What are we expecting over just the next few days after such a big day with the, the signing of the contract for, for Ramirez yesterday?

Paul Hoynes: Joe I saw something on Social last night that Nelson Cruz, the general manager of the Dominican Republic WBC team, said that Ramirez would not be on the original roster for the WBC but could be on if they advance. So I don’t know if that’s, I have not confirmed that. But, you know, they, you know, that’s what this on X they, they quoted Nelson Cruz saying he would not be available on the, you know, on the original roster.

Joe Noga: And that kind of makes sense based on the reaction that Jose, you know, gave when, when he was first asked about it. It was kind of almost like he was not upset at the question but just upset at the circumstances. It sort of felt like maybe there’s some, some politics or some games being played there with the roster spot and whether or not the, the Dominican Republic, you know, wants him there. I would imagine they would want him there, but maybe they’re holding spots for, for other players.

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, you know, it’s such a talented, you know, it’s such a baseball crazy nation. They have so many good players that are in the big leagues currently from the Dominican Republic. It’s, it’s tough to pick a, you know, starting nine out of that team out and we don’t know if Jose wants to play or doesn’t want to play. He has not played in it before. He remember he caught some flak for not playing in the All Star Game last season, Joe, because the injuries and most of it came from the Dominican Republic. His fans there were upset. So who knows if what’s going on there, but it’s Interesting, because it’s tough to keep Jose Ramirez off any team.

Joe Noga: I would think, you know, they do have options. You do have superstar like a Manny Machado who plays third base, you know, up and coming stars like Junior Caminero, who seems to be the heir apparent behind Ramirez in the American League at third base. Maybe there’s carryover from that All Star Game controversy that really seemed to be more of a controversy in the Dominican Republic than it did here. You know, a guy like Ramirez, who, Who constantly puts his body on the line and plays hurt and plays injured, you know, he wants to take a couple of days during the All Star break, and he’s been to, you know, multiple All Star games. If he decides to. To not play in one, I think around here, it’s not as big of a deal as maybe like you said it. It was for him in the, in his. In his home country. Maybe there’s some sort of carryover from, hey, we saw Bill Belichick get punished for Spygate by being held. Passed over by the hall of Fame committee this, this week. You know, it seems like less of an offense than what, what, Jose Ramirez. Well, it’s a pretty big offense, so people have been punished for. For less, I guess, is. Is what the point I’m trying to make. But I don’t know, we’ll see if, if the Dominican team advances and they. They reevaluate and invite Jose to come out, maybe he joins up for the second round of play once they get to the States in the World Baseball Classic.

Paul Hoynes: And I guess, Joe, there’s. There’s some. There’s a little bit of contra controversy. Nelson Cruz has been quoted as saying that Jose will not play in the. The president of the Dominican Baseball Federation said it, said it’s false, that Ramirez was sitting out and that he’s on board. What Cruz said will probably hold sway, at least for the first round.

Joe Noga: Yesterday at the press conference announcing the deal, we talked about this a little bit yesterday, but the first time that we had heard David Blitzer’s name sort of come up, and it came up organically, it came up without being asked in a question that Chris Antonetti mentioned that David Blitzer and Paul Dolan both were working together as part of these negotiations makes sense if, if David Blitzer is in line to eventually become the majority owner of the Guardians, that he would be part of those negotiations because he’s going to inherit this contract. He’s going to be the guy signing those checks eventually. What was your reaction to hearing his name brought up so casually. And do you think it really was casualty or do you think that there was some intent behind that?

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, I think there was some intent behind that. Joe. We’ve been to a lot of press conferences with the Guardians. Blitzer has been a minority owner since 2022. That was the first time I ever heard anyone bring his name up without being asked. Yeah, I think that was. There was a message behind it. And who knows, maybe, you know, he, the, you know, he does have an option to become the majority owner of the Guardians from Paul Dolan. So maybe that’s in progress. Maybe that’s in, you know, that is. That’s kind of got some, got some legs now. We’ll just have to see where it takes us. But yeah, I think that was. His name was intentionally mentioned yesterday. And then Chris Antonetti even brought, you know, he was asked, he was talking about the complexities of this deal with Ramirez and he was asked was one of the complications that, you know, the team could be changing hands, ownership in ownership. And he said yes, you know, that had to be taken into consideration and that Paul Dolan and David Blitzer work closely together on this Ramirez extension.

Joe Noga: Yeah, all of that seems to point to the idea that the window is starting to close on the Dolan ownership era, which it makes a lot of sense that they’re starting to get things lined up for time. Beyond the end of that. We had, you know, a bunch of different fun conversations sort of pop up after this Ramirez contract signing. It was a nice day. They, you know, they put his picture on the scoreboard and at the ballpark. And there was all sorts of promotional materials and videos on, on social media and everything. A lot of people asking the obvious question about if he does play his entire career in Cleveland, if he does finish atop pretty much every offensive statistic and category, they’re going to retire his number, they’re going to hang him in the rafters. They’re going to build a statue to him. And I found it interesting. Intriguing. And what some, some people think that the statue should look like, you know, immediately when the, the contract was announced, people reacted to it. I saw people putting up images of fake statues of, of him standing over the body of Tim Anderson after the fight. I’ve seen ideas where it’s, you know, he’s sliding into a base and his helmet is flying off of his head. I think, you know, Jose rounding the bases with his, his hand pointed to the sky maybe would be one after he hits a home run. Especially if he becomes the all time franchise Home run leader eventually in the next couple of years here. What would your idea be for a Jose statue? How would you like to see him immortalized?

Paul Hoynes: See him diving head first into second base with his helmet flying up in the air and dirt flying everywhere? And, you know, for. Just. For on a stolen base attempt, I think to me, that captures how he plays, and I’d love to see that. I don’t know if you can make that, you know, put that in bronze, but I’d love to see, you know, it has to be some action. It just can’t be Jose swinging a bat, because he does so much more than that.

Joe Noga: Yeah. If you go to what’s outside a great American ballpark in Cincinnati, don’t they have a Pete Rose statue? The monument to Pete Rose is Rose sliding into a base. And it’s. I don’t want to say it’s messy, but it looks like a messy statue. You know what I’m saying? It looks like you said there’s a. There’s a lot of action. You could. You can really tell that. That he’s a dirtbag, you know, kind of ballplayer in that sense that, you know, he takes. Takes a bit of the field away with him when he walks out of the ballpark. Yeah, I could see something like that. To me, you’re talking about a guy who’s, you know, his. His stature and his. His diminutive nature has been sort of this underdog, this calling card of his career. And I would like to see a statue that’s sort of larger than life. I would like to see Jose, you know, three times the size of Jose in real life, if that’s the possibility. Even if it’s. Even if it means sacrificing some of that action that you’re talking about. Just a huge statue of Jose Ramirez, I think would be appropriate because this is a guy who took every bit of being the little guy and. And turned it into his advantage. And. And basically his story is the. The one that. That Cleveland fell in love with, you know, being the. The little guy overlooked from Bonnie in the Dominican Republic, coming all the way to being the icon in Cleveland. I think a huge statue, something with a bit of size to it, would. Would be appropriate.

Paul Hoynes: And Joe and Joey, it would have to have Paul Dolan’s comment on him from yesterday that, you know, I think Dolan said, Jose’s appeal to this community is not just about numbers, the wins in the offensive production. It’s really about who he is. It’s the strut, the look that says, if you underestimate me, you do so at your own peril. I mean, if Cleveland was looking for a slogan, they should, they could copy that. Put that in granite right now.

Joe Noga: Yeah, that’s, that’s, that’s the epitome of, of Jose Ramirez and how he approaches things. Uh, definitely looking forward to the day when we’re standing outside the gates of Progressive Field and at that statue dedication. It’ll be a lot of fun. All right. Hey, what do you say we get into some, some Hey Hoynsies here. We got some reader submitted questions from our texters on cleveland.com subtext. You can go to that and, and sign up for 3.99amonth. Lindsay and I text every day. All the inside information we get, we pass it along first to our subtexters before we post it on cleveland.com, your best way to stay in touch with the team and any of the, the latest developments. Ed in Sandusky writes, if Jose Ramirez didn’t sign that long term deal in 2022, and thank Lord he did and didn’t stay in Cleveland, what do you estimate he could be earning as a superstar in today’s current climate? Quincy? I think it’s safe to say Jose would be at least a $300 million player.

Paul Hoynes: No doubt about it, Joe. I mean, I would think he could. He might not make as much as Lindor did with the Mets, but with a, you know, he, a 10 year, $300 million contract somewhere in that range, he’d be sitting on that right now. But he chose not to do it. His agent, I think, urged him, was not a big fan of him signing that initial extension. But as he said, as Rafi Nieves said, Jose marches to the beat of his own drum. Did that and then pushed for this extension. And Joe, let’s face it. I mean, Jose is going to be all right for the rest of his life. So are his kids. And so are his kids. Kids.

Joe Noga: Yeah, it’s a great way to look at it. This from Bill in Tennessee. He says it seems like if the team is playing.500 at the break and still close to the top in their division, then they can look for an impact player for at the trade deadline, at the break to make a run for it. Could that be what Chris Antonetti and the front office are thinking? And really, Antonetti pretty much said as much yesterday about it at the press conference.

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, you know, Joe, he was, he was very forthcoming as has been all or that they’re going with their young players come hell or high water. But yesterday he kind of, he added a caveat when he said, this plan doesn’t work. You know, we can always pivot during the season and try to make some, you know, corrections. You know, I just wonder if they’re so far out of it, you know, I mean, that’s a dangerous, that’s a gamble to take. I mean, when do you pull the trigger if you think you’re out of it or you still have a chance to win a division? You know, it’s, it’s really an interesting take, but, you know, this is, and Joe, they’re going to have the money to do it because they could open, they could open this season depending on what happens with Emmanuel. Class A’s $6.4 million that he’s owed for this season. They could open, they could open this season with a payroll of less than $70 million.

Joe Noga: Yeah, it’s pretty crazy when I heard Antonetti say, you know, that they would have the ability or the flexibility to pivot or do something if the, the approach isn’t working during the season. What, what great confidence you have that you can go into the season sort of with this, this young roster and say, hey, if this doesn’t work, and if it isn’t working, we can pivot and still have the ability to, to try and make, make the postseason. You know, that, that’s the belief that you, you get instilled in you when you come back from a 15 and a half game deficit and in, in a matter of a month, I guess. And, and that’s sort of sustaining the franchise right now. Yeah, I like the, the idea that if, hey, if this isn’t working, we can pivot and still make the playoffs. And they believe that.

Paul Hoynes: So, yeah, you give them credit for being confident, but. And they’re still going to have the money to do it. Joe. I think that’s, you know, they, they could make because he said this, you know, this has plan of going with the younger players, has nothing to do with money that they have. Go out and add players, right?

Joe Noga: Yeah, that’s, that’s exactly it. Hey, Hoynsie, what’s the latest on Daniel Espino? That’s from Kurt in Worthington, Ohio.

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, Joe, all we know on Espino is he’s healthy. I would imagine he’s probably still, he’s in spring training right now. Just, we have to remember this is a guy that hasn’t pitched in three years, maybe more than three years, you know, on a consistent basis. I Mean, I don’t know. You know, I’m sure what he did in the Arizona Fall League gave him some confidence. We made what, seven starts and pitched seven total innings. I mean, but this is a guy that’s, you know, going to have to be built up and he’s got, he has. I think earlier we said he was out of options, but he does have an option left. He does. Maybe two options left. So there’s still some room to work with this guy. So he’s not out of options. And. But he’s going to have to, he’s going to have to, you know, I would imagine starting the Arizona, Arizona complex league, then you know, maybe go to a ball. He’s just going to have to build some volume up with innings. Pitch.

Joe Noga: Yeah, he’s going to need to get out there and prove that he can stay on the mound and then recover and get back out there start after start. So that will be what they’re looking for out of Espino. And I think, you know, do you, do you think maybe he. Is there a level that he should be aspiring to, to get to like, double A, triple A this year before maybe being ready to possibly make a major league debut?

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, you know, I would think it would be, you know, he, he did reach double A before he got hurt and he’s still throwing over 100 miles an hour, Joe. That’s the thing. If he’s a reliever, you only need, you know, the, you know, the, the kind of the. He gets on a faster track to the big leagues. So I would think he’s got to make a significant move this season because they’ve waited so long for him. The last thing you want to do is if you have an arm like that, is push him too fast. But I would think if he would. If he could get to high A or double A this year and really kind of settle in and what, pitch 50 to 60 innings or just pitch enough that, that he’s feel. Starting to feel comfortable again. I think the guardians would be happy.

Joe Noga: Yeah. All right. This from Pat Gritchick. He. He writes. Hey, Hoinsey, when do tickets for 2020 regular season go on sale? I haven’t seen anything. They used to be Christmas presents. Pat. I, I think you should hang on tight within the next week to 10 days. I think there might be an announcement coming as to when public on sale will be coming out, as well as some promotional items. I think circle that that range that week to 10 days is what I’m hearing. You might, might be staying Tuned for the announcement of when public on sale is going to happen. Yeah, I agree. It’s something a lot of people are asking about is when, when tickets go on sale. We just got the schedule last week in terms of the times and the, the TV broadcast, so it’s all, all, all starting to come together. Hey, Hoinsey, Greg in Sylvania wants to know when will the, the Austin Hayes signing be announced? You were talking about that flexibility. He says it’s tongue in cheek that he’s asking this, but, you know, there’s a real possibility out there if this guy’s still hanging around that maybe they, they take a flyer on him.

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, you know, I don’t think it’s going to happen before opening day. Just the way Antonetti and the other front office guys were talking yesterday and have been talking all winter. I mean, I think they still have some irons in the fire this winter, but I, I just don’t see. I mean, it just doesn’t sound like that. That’s, That’s a guy. I mean, he, he’s. He had a good season last year. I mean, he hits lefties. Could he fit into a platoon maybe if he’s still out there in February or, you know, early March? You know, you would think maybe the guardians would come around and kick the tires on him, but right now it just doesn’t seem like that’s the course they’re taking.

Joe Noga: Hey, Hoinsey, from Dave in Baton Rouge, he wants to know how does the money dedicated to extending Ramirez’s contract impact the already dim prospects of being able to keep Stephen Kwan?

Paul Hoynes: Yeah, Joe, think you and me. I was surprised yesterday when we asked, you know, Chris Antonetti about the, the deferred, the 70 million deferred on, on Ramirez’s contract. I, I thought that might give them some extra flexibility to either, you know, bring in another player or perhaps use that money to help pay, you know, Kwan’s and, you know, entice him to take an extension. Antonetti kind of shot that down and said it’s really not, not that big a savings where, you know, they, it gives them payroll flexibility because, you know, they have to fund that money. They, they still have to pay Ramirez that money, so they. And they have to fund it every year. I would imagine most of that, you know, the 10 million deferred is, is going into the funds to pay Ramirez down the road, if that makes sense. I’m not sure I make.

Joe Noga: Yeah, it almost sounded like they almost had to do like an escrow situation where they had to, you know, put. Set the money aside for him to eventually be paid. But I don’t know. I don’t claim to know the, the ins and outs of Major League baseball finance, but it seems to me if you’re not paying him that, that $10 million every year, then, you know, there’s 10 million that’s around and available to be used elsewhere. What Antonetti was saying sort of contradicts that. But again, we don’t get to look at the books every year. We don’t get done. We can only sit here and estimate and guess by what’s been reported as to what, what the payroll is and all that. So it’s hard to hold them sort of accountable.

Paul Hoynes: And they don’t.

Joe Noga: They don’t necessarily have to tell us anything if they don’t want to.

Paul Hoynes: And, Joe, I guess, you know, 10 million, you know, 10 million deferred is a lot different than the 68 million. Oh, deferred. Oh, so it’s a bigger. We’re talking about a bigger chunk of change. And maybe that’s why the Dodgers have been able to do what they’ve been able to do by taken advantage of the money Ohtani deferred.

Joe Noga: Yeah. And the Dodgers deferring more money than the guardians having their entire payroll is kind of ridiculous. All right, Hoins, that’s going to wrap up today’s edition of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. Busy week. Looking forward to next week. I think the sports awards coming up next Thursday might be something to talk about. The Greater Cleveland Sports Awards as well. And we get closer to spring training. We’ll check back in with you again on Monday.

Paul Hoynes: Good deal.

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Half-Dominican, half-Clevelander, J-Ram committed to winning it all with Guards

January 29th, 2026

CLEVELAND -- José Ramírez initially joined the Guardians' organization in November 2009, as a 17-year-old international free-agent signing out of the Dominican Republic. Put another way, he’s spent nearly as much of his life as a member of the franchise as he did outside of it.

“I can call myself a 50-50: 50 percent Dominican, and 50 percent Clevelander,” Ramírez said Thursday through interpreter Agustin Rivero.

Ramírez’s Cleveland pride is fitting; the 33-year-old will almost assuredly spend his entire playing career in Northeast Ohio after the Guardians finalized a seven-year contract extension with him on Thursday. The new deal will span through 2032, which would be Ramírez’s 20th big league season.

Ramírez was under contract through 2028, via the long-term deal he signed in ‘22. So, why an extension now? Ramírez was motivated to secure his future in Cleveland and had his agent, Rafa Nieves, check in with the Guardians about one year ago to begin that process.

“There's a lot of discussions about the nature of this contract and why this contract happened,” Ramírez said. “But for me, it's important to be here. This is where my family is and where I want to be. And most importantly, [it’s] where I look forward to completing my career.”

Ramírez will turn 40 during the 2032 campaign. By that point, he could solidify himself as the most decorated player in team history. But beyond becoming Cleveland’s all-time leader in WAR, home runs, RBIs or earning any other accolade, there is a most pressing goal.

“The ultimate goal remains the same, which is to win the World Series,” Ramírez said. “So for me, it's important to stay here, a commitment to continue to compete and win a World Series.”

When Ramírez was a young player, Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli were among the veteran players whom he looked up to. As he enters his 14th season, Ramírez is now the leader and star whom players turn to, and that will certainly be the case in 2026 -- when Cleveland’s roster is set to include a slew of up-and-comers.

The Guardians have had a bit of a quiet offseason, having not made a substantive addition to their lineup despite ranking 28th in the Majors in runs per game last year. Cleveland’s brass has acknowledged the lineup must be better this season, and the club wants to provide runway for young talent to help.

The Guardians have explored potential additions on the trade and free-agent markets to complement the young hitters. They were interested in reuniting with Lane Thomas to play a role in the outfield -- where much of Cleveland’s up-and-coming talent resides. Thomas ultimately signed with the Royals, who offered him the chance at everyday playing time.

All that is to say Ramírez’s presence will once again be critical for Cleveland this year as it looks to win the AL Central title for the seventh time in the past 11 seasons -- and more.

“For me, it's important to help all the young guys because that's how we're going to compete,” Ramírez said. “It's really important to make them the best teammates that we can. So I think that's my responsibility -- to help them in any way I can to be the best players that they can be.”

Ramírez’s contract is unique; it’s worth $25 million per season but includes $10 million deferred each campaign. The deferrals were one mechanism to help get it done, and the Guardians were motivated to do so upon learning of Ramírez’s interest and given what he’s meant to the franchise.

Both owner and CEO Paul Dolan and minority owner David Blitzer were “very involved” in the discussions, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said.

“If there was that opportunity to find a way to make it happen, we were all committed to doing that,” Antonetti said. “I think we've seen over the last 10 years, José has been a driving force behind some very competitive baseball.

“There's no one better, no one else we would rather have leading the way in the future other than José.”

When it’s all said and done, Ramírez could stand alone as Cleveland’s all-time franchise leader in myriad key categories. And if things go as the Guardians hope in the next seven years, he’ll be the man who leads them to their first title since 1948.

“There may be a few Bob Feller fans who might argue differently,” Dolan said. “But I think José will [go] down as the greatest player in the history of our franchise.”

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.

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Jose Ramirez Sets Unfortunate Record Despite MVP Career

January 28, 2026

By Justin Hussong

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez recently made headlines when he surprisingly signed a seven-year contract extension that will void the remaining two years he had on his old deal to keep him locked up through 2032. The $175 million deal not only solidifies the MVP candidate as a fixture in Cleveland’s lineup for years to come, but also opens up the possibility of him beginning and ending an entire 20-year career in Cleveland.

He is a special player who means everything to this organization and this city, and it’s heartwarming to see him get rewarded for it. Unfortunately, there are a few pieces of hardware he hasn’t been rewarded with for his efforts over the years, namely an MVP trophy despite getting close so many times.

Sarah Langs of MLB.com recently reminded fans just how close he has come and shared some perspective on how atypical it is for a player to get that close that many times without taking home an MVP. With his fourth top-three MVP finish in 2025, Ramirez actually set an unfortunate record.

“José Ramírez finished top-three for the fourth time in 2025, giving him sole possession of the most such MVP voting finishes without winning the award. That’s right — since the honor was established in 1931, no player has gotten that close that often without taking home a win,” Langs posted on X.

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José Ramírez has more MVP vote shares (per Baseball Reference) than any player ever who did not win at least one MVP award.

José Ramírez: 3.61
Al Simmons: 3.53
Bill Terry: 3.45
Eddie Murray: 3.33
Mike Piazza: 3.16

Ahead of 4 HOFers. First ballot lock.

As stellar as Ramirez has been, he has had the unfortunate distinction of his prime overlapping with Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Mike Trout. Aside from the top-three finishes, he also has three other seasons where he has finished fourth, fifth, and sixth in voting, which is a testament to his remarkable consistency.

The closest he came was in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season when he finished second. Unfortunately, that was the year Jose Abreu swooped in and posted a .987 OPS and drove in 60 runs in 60 games to snag an improbable MVP win.

Whether he wins the award or not, Ramirez has been Cleveland’s MVP for well over a decade and will continue to be so through at least 2032. He is indispensable to this franchise, and perhaps if he keeps raking like he has been, the stars will align for him to lead this team to a World Series and win an MVP in the process.

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What happens if young Guardians don’t hit for second straight season? Hey, Hoynsie!

Updated: Jan. 31, 2026, 10:19 a.m.|Published: Jan. 31, 2026, 5:05 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Do you have a question about the Guardians that you’d like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? You can subscribe to Subtext here, text Hoynsie at 216-208-4346 for a two-week free trial or email him at phoynes@cleveland.com.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Guardians are playing .500 baseball and are close to first place in the AL Central this year, would they look for an impact player at the All-Star break to try and win a third straight division title? — Bill, Tennessee.

Hey, Bill: It’s possible.

Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, said Thursday at Jose Ramirez’s press conference that the organization could pivot during the regular season if their young position players don’t produce. The money will be there to make trades because they haven’t spent much this winter, but pivoting during a season while still trying to win is difficult. [ GOOD LUCK ]

Hey, Hoynsie: If Jose Ramirez didn’t sign the long-term extension in 2022, and he didn’t want to stay in Cleveland, what would you estimate he could be earning as a superstar in today’s climate? — Ed Radatz, Sandusky.

Hey, Ed: The Guardians were ready to trade Ramirez if he hadn’t signed that extension in 2022. Ramirez would have been a free agent after the 2023 season regardless of where he was playing.

On the open market, Ramirez probably would have been worth $280 million to $300 million over an eight-to-10-year deal.

Hey, Hoynsie: What’s the latest on former (first-round) pick Daniel Espino? — Kurt Miller, Worthington.

Hey, Kurt: For the first time in several years, Espino will go to spring training as a competitor instead of a player rehabbing an injury. The Guardians will be careful with the hard-throwing right-hander because he hasn’t pitched regularly since 2021 after a series of shoulder injuries. They want to ensure that he has a healthy season no matter where or how he pitches.

Espino has one minor league option left.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, being groomed for left field? — Michael Hoffman.

Hey, Michael: Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I think the Guardians want to see Bazzana settle in at second base. When he does that, they’ll decide if they need to expand his versatility. They believe he’s athletic enough to play the outfield.

The big-league coaching staff will get its first prolonged look at Bazzana this spring.

Hey, Hoynsie: We always hear about the Guardians’ equipment truck leaving Cleveland for spring training. But we never hear about it returning from Arizona to Cleveland. Is there a return truck? — Skip, Broadview Heights.

Hey, Skip: Sir Isaac Newton discovered the theory of gravity — what goes up must come down. Tony Amato, veteran Guardians clubhouse manager, discovered his own theory — when an equipment truck leaves, it always returns.

Hey, Hoynsie: With the basic agreement due to expire in December of 2026, and the threat of a work stoppage looming, are the Guardians avoiding any significant contracts to avoid putting big money on the books in case MLB gets a salary cap? — Ben Weible. Louisville, Kentucky.

Hey, Ben: There could be a work stoppage, and the owners could push for some form of a salary cap, but that didn’t stop the Guardians from signing Jose Ramirez to a five-year, $175 million extension Thursday. Still, it would be foolish to say the upcoming labor negotiations didn’t affect the Guardians’ payroll.

Hey, Hoynsie: If more players were like Jose Ramirez, who chose loyalty over the almighty dollar, would there be less of a need for a salary cap and a potential lockout after the 2026 season? — Andy Mees, Sandusky

Hey, Andy: What you’ve seen unfold between Ramirez and the Guardians is a rarity. In professional sports, loyalty doesn’t go very far. That goes for teams and players.

To answer your question, even if every team had a player like Ramirez, the owners would still want a salary cap.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is there any news about Steven Kwan getting an extension in the near future? — Alex Harris.

Hey, Alex: Chris Antonetti was asked about the possibility of a Kwan extension on Thursday at Jose Ramirez’s press conference. He said Kwan still has two years left under the Guardians’ control, which leaves opportunities to talk about an extension.

Hey, Hoynsie: I would love to see the Guardians sign Eugenio Suarez (49 homers, 118 RBI, 196 strikeouts) to a one-year deal with a club option for a second year. In the lineup, he could DH between Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo. Then they could move Steven Kwan to center thus freeing the corner outfield spots for prospects (Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus) and the signing of Austin Hays or Miguel Andujar. — Brad, Barberton.

Hey, Brad: You’ve been doing your homework, but that’s not the message the Guardians’ front office has been delivering all winter. The team’s core players and prospects are going to get the first shot at the upcoming season. The season doesn’t start until March 26, but it sounds like the Guards are going to let the kids play.

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