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.”