This past weekend, the hearts of thousands of Cleveland Guardians fans skipped a beat when they learned that star third baseman Jose Ramirez had to be removed from a Cactus League game with an injury.
Every time the words “injury” and “Jose Ramirez” appear in the same sentence, Guardians supporters tend to panic. It’s understandable, as he is the heart and soul of the squad.
Ramirez jammed his left shoulder on a head-first slide into third base during Sunday’s spring game. That’s certainly not what you want to hear, especially regarding your very best player.
Ramirez wasn’t in the lineup for Monday’s game against the Chicago Cubs as a precaution. However, word from Arizona is that he will be back as good as ever in a matter of days.
“Guardians manager Stephen Vogt says that Jose Ramirez “should be just fine in a few days” after exiting yesterday’s game with shoulder inflammation. Vogt also noted how impressive Jose’s durability has been throughout the years,” team insider Mason Horodyski posted on X.
#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt says that Jose Ramirez "should be just fine in a few days" after exiting yesterdays game with shoulder inflammation.
Vogt also noted how impressive Jose's durability has been throughout the years. #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/iBRw2xYlWS
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 16, 2026
Vogt is right on one thing: J-Ram is one of the most durable superstars in the game. He has played 150 or more games in each of the last five seasons, and in 2020, he suited up for 58 of the 60 games on the calendar.
Ramirez is a true ironman, and he wasn’t going to let a jammed shoulder force him to start the 2026 campaign on the injured list. Fortunately for the Guardians, there wasn’t even a need for him to get any imaging on the affected area.
Ramirez, a future Guardians Hall of Famer and a candidate for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is coming off a brilliant 2025 season in Cleveland, with 30 home runs, 44 stolen bases, 103 runs scored, a 133 wRC+, and 6.3 fWAR.
He is entering his age-33 season with the same goal in mind: to win a World Series championship in Cleveland. He signed a long extension to stay with the organization until his retirement, and while he is still in his prime, he could be nearing the end of it.
The time for the Guardians to go all-in for a title is now, while Ramirez is still at the peak of his physical abilities.
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