CLEVELAND (AP) \u2014 Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez has had two consistent goals throughout this major league career \u2014 playing for one team and winning a World Series.<\/p>\n
Ram\u00edrez’s $175 million, seven-year contract with the Cleveland Guardians likely accomplishes that first goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to me to say that this is the organization that gave me a chance,\u201d Ram\u00edrez said through interpreter Agustin Rivero on Thursday as the deal was announced. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of discussion about why this contract happened, but for me it\u2019s important to be in Cleveland. This is where my family is and where I look forward to completing my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has played his entire 13-year, big league career in Cleveland. He had three years and $69 million remaining on the seven-year, $141 million contract he signed in 2022, and will now average $25 million over the next seven years under the superseding contract.<\/p>\n
The contract is the largest in franchise history. As is with the case with some big contracts throughout the majors, Ram\u00edrez agreed to have $10 million deferred each season. Those payments are scheduled to begin in 2036.<\/p>\n
Ram\u00edrez first approached his agent, Rafa Nieves, about trying to get a new contract early last year. Nieves asked Ram\u00edrez to hold off for a little bit but Ram\u00edrez made it a priority to get it done.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s rare that you look with three years left on the contract, that you would look to restructure things, but we\u2019re talking about a very unique player with Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez,\u201d Guardians president Chris Antonetti said. \u201cThere\u2019s no one else like him in our organization\u2019s recent history. And so when Jos\u00e9 made it clear what his priorities were, we wanted to try to find a way to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ram\u00edrez remarked that he realizes he is leaving money on the table by signing a long-term deal that would keep him in a Cleveland uniform until age 40, but the desire to remain with the Guardians was more important.<\/p>\n
Owner Paul Dolan went one step further on Ram\u00edrez’s impact to the franchise and Cleveland when he said: “there may be a few Bob Feller fans who might argue differently, but I think Jose will go down as the greatest player in the history of our franchise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardians minority owner David Blitzer, who has an option to buy the team in 2028, also had a role in the negotiations.<\/p>\n
Ram\u00edrez \u2014 a seven-time, AL all-star \u2014 had a career-high 44 stolen bases last season and became the fourth player in MLB history with multiple seasons of at least 30 home runs and 40 steals. He had a .283 batting average, including a career-long 21-game hit streak from May 6-28.<\/p>\n
Cleveland has reached the postseason eight times since Ram\u00edrez was called up to the majors in 2013, including losing in seven games to the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series. The Guardians have won the AL Central the past two seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel the same sense of pride from Cleveland than I have from the Dominican Republic\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cI\u2019m 50-50, 50% Dominican, 50% Cleveland. My sons were born here, so I take that pride of the city and what that represents to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ram\u00edrez became the first player in franchise history to have at least 250 home runs and 250 stolen bases last season and just the second switch-hitter, joining Carlos Beltr\u00e1n (435 homers, 312 stolen bases). He goes into 2026 with 285 home runs and 287 stolen bases.<\/p>\n
Ram\u00edrez also is the franchise leader in extra base hits with 726 and 27 multi-homer games. He is second in home runs and RBIs (949).<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he was a young player he played the game the right way from day one. He sets the standard for the organization and every player coming up. He’s the guy who leads by example and he has grown into being a strong voice in the clubhouse,\u201d Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff said.<\/p>\n