Cleveland Guardians superstar third baseman Jose Ramirez was recently elected to his seventh All-Star game after a strong first half of the 2025 MLB season, which is just another footnote on the Hall of Fame resume he is building.
Unfortunately, Ramirez has decided to opt out of the game and won’t be starting at third base due to the fact that he has been nursing a sprained ankle for two months.
He recently opened up about the situation, as Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com quoted him as saying that he hasn’t had the opportunity to rest, and has decided to do so over the break.
“I spent a long time thinking about it,” Ramirez said of missing the All-Star game. “I’ve been working with the manager to try to take some time whenever possible to rest the ankle while DHing. I’ve been trying to think about the team in the second half, too. I think it’s best for the team for me to get some rest.”
Ramirez has served as the DH for roughly the same amount of time as he has over the past few seasons, and it would be easier for the team to give him more time at DH if there were other options at third base.
His bat means everything to this lineup, but his defense has taken a slight step back, likely due to the injury.
Ramirez also has a .994 OPS in 52 at-bats as the designated hitter, so it’s clear he benefits from the time on the bench, and it’s something to keep in mind over the second half.
If Cleveland can allow someone to emerge at third base in order to keep Ramirez at DH, where he has performed magnificently, it could be a key improvement the team desperately needs to turn things around in the second half.
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