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CLEVELAND, Ohio — José Ramírez spent the last five weeks waiting for his surgically repaired left hand to heal. On Tuesday, he unveiled one more piece of the plan to make sure it stays that way.
Before the Guardians’ 5-2 win over Minnesota, Ramírez showed reporters a pair of custom batting gloves featuring extra padding designed to protect the left hand where doctors removed his fractured hamate bone.
Less than 24 hours later, the Guardians activated Ramírez from the injured list ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup against the Twins, a little more than five weeks after his surgery. Cleveland optioned outfielder Kahlil Watson to Triple-A Columbus to clear a spot on the 26-man roster.
“It was pretty fun, not going to lie,” manager Stephen Vogt said of writing Ramírez’s name back into the lineup. “Obviously we’re all ecstatic that Hosey’s back and what a testament to him, (Guardians Major League Rehab Coordinator) Dan Himmerick and the rest of our medical staff for getting Hosey back as quickly as they did. Yesterday he had a great day and told me he’s ready to go. So here we are.”
Ramírez showed reporters some new protective gear in the Guardians clubhouse before Tuesday’s game.
“I’ve got gloves with soft padding and hard padding,” Ramírez said Tuesday. “We’ll see how they work.”
Then, with a grin, he acknowledged how well his teammates had survived without him.
“They don’t need me,” Ramírez joked. “They hit seven home runs without me on Monday.”
As it turned out, Cleveland was ready to welcome its franchise cornerstone back anyway.
Ramírez has not appeared in a game since leaving Cleveland’s June 13 win over Detroit after suffering the injury. Earlier this week, Vogt said Ramírez would ultimately have the biggest voice in determining when he was ready to return rather than automatically heading out on a minor league rehab assignment, and by Wednesday the manager said the veteran had earned that level of trust.
“He’s earned it obviously for as long as he’s been playing and as much as he wants to win,” Vogt said. “Hosey’s about winning. He’s not going to come back if he doesn’t believe that he can help us win. So it’s full trust in him, full trust in the medical staff. Everybody is on board with him being back in there today.”
Vogt added that the Guardians will still be mindful as Ramírez eases back into everyday action.
“Obviously there’s going to be some limitations for him at first, but we’re going to be thoughtful about how much he plays, when he plays, things of that nature,” Vogt said. “He’s done a great job of getting his body ready, which is most important, and the wrist is feeling good.”
Ramírez returns to a club that managed to stay afloat during his absence but clearly missed the impact of one of baseball’s most complete players. Cleveland went 15-15 over the last month without its seven-time All-Star, slipping from a half-game lead in the American League Central to a virtual tie with the White Sox atop the division while the Twins closed to within five games.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Vogt said of the way his club handled Ramírez’s absence. “The last five weeks could have been a lot different and it wasn’t. We kept our heads above water. We did not let the last five weeks determine the rest of our season. That’s really what I’m proud of.”
The offensive numbers still illustrate the void Ramírez left behind. Since he landed on the injured list, the Guardians rank 13th in the American League with 121 runs scored and 12th with 35 home runs. Their 26.8% strikeout rate during that stretch is tied with Baltimore for the highest in baseball.
Ramírez was hitting .239 with a .757 OPS, 10 home runs and 33 RBI through 72 games before the injury. While those numbers are short of his usual standards, Cleveland’s lineup still revolves around his presence, his ability to lengthen at-bats and his knack for delivering in big moments.
The timing of his return also coincides with signs that Cleveland’s offense may be figuring out its winning formula. The Guardians erupted for seven home runs Monday at Progressive Field, tying the franchise record for homers in a single home game, then followed it up with another five-run performance Tuesday to secure a second straight win over Minnesota.
Ramírez’s activation comes at the expense of Watson, whose brief stay in the majors lasted 27 games despite turning in one of his strongest performances in Tuesday’s win.
Inserted as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning, Watson ripped a leadoff double that helped ignite Cleveland’s go-ahead rally. In the ninth, he raced into foul territory down the right-field line, crashed into the wall and held on for a spectacular game-ending catch.
Ultimately, Watson became the odd man out in a roster crunch. Petey Halpin, who homered twice in Monday’s historic offensive outburst, has already been optioned to Columbus three times this season. Under MLB rules, a player can only be optioned five times in a season before he must clear waivers, making Watson the more flexible roster move.
Vogt said the conversation with Watson was difficult, but one he believes the 22-year-old handled with maturity.
“Obviously it’s never fun to tell anybody they’re going back to Columbus,” Vogt said. “Khalil handled it like a true pro. He understood. Clearly, he wasn’t happy — no one wants to leave — but the messaging was, ‘You came here when we needed you and you helped us.’”
“I think we saw an unbelievably talented player with Khalil Watson,” Vogt added. “He’s going to help us win a ton of games for a long time. It’s just not his time right now. We know we’re going to see Khalil again at some point, and he’s going to help us win a lot of games.”
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