After a quiet offseason, the Cleveland Guardians have reportedly agreed to a significant deal with José Ramírez.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the two sides officially agreed to a new contract after MLB insider Hector Gomez first reported the deal.
Ramírez previously signed a five-year, $124 million extension in April 2022 on top of the two years remaining on his previous deal, bringing the total value up to $150 million over seven years.
That deal also included a full no-trade clause.
Even though Ramírez has left money on the table to remain in Cleveland, he has made no secret of his desire to spend his entire career with the Guardians.
When the two sides were going through negotiations four years ago, the Guardians were also exploring trade options. Rafa Nieves, Ramírez’s agent, told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez after the extension got done that “everyone tried to talk” Ramírez out of taking a below-market deal.
In a recent interview with Gomez (h/t Chad Porto of Sporting News), Ramírez said his “heart was set” on staying in Cleveland because his kids were born in the city and his family is comfortable.
“I owe this city a lot,” Ramírez added. “Since the day I arrived, I’ve never once been booed by these fans. I’ve seen how crowds in other stadiums treat players when results don’t come quickly, and that’s never happened here.”
Ramírez has been the main driving force behind a very successful period for the Guardians organization. Since his first full season as a starter in 2016, they have made the playoffs seven times and appeared in one World Series.
Since the start of 2017, Ramírez has made the All-Star team seven times and finished in the top 10 of AL MVP voting eight times. He hit .283/.360/.503 with 30 homers and 44 stolen bases in 158 games in 2025.