The decibel level inside Progressive Field began climbing in the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday, and it crescendoed into a full standing ovation as Jose Ramirez stepped to the plate for the first time in more than a month. The Guardians officially activated Ramirez off the 10-day injured list ahead of their game against the Twins, ending a stretch that began when he fractured his left hamate on June 13. Ramirez went 2-5 with two RBI in his return, providing an instant spark even though Cleveland ultimately fell 10-6 in a game undone by defensive miscues. Outfielder Kahlil Watson was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to clear a roster spot for Ramirez’s activation.
Ramirez described just how much the month away from the lineup had weighed on him.
“Thank God that I’m back. It’s hard to explain, but it’s real. That sensation of not being able to be in the lineup is something you can feel. I was really looking forward to being back after a month away,” Ramirez said. “It was just a process. We followed everything the training room was suggesting, which is customary for a hamate surgery. Everything they told me, I was trying to follow.”
Wednesday marked five weeks and one day since he underwent the procedure on his hamate, and Ramirez ultimately bypassed a rehab assignment entirely, telling manager Stephen Vogt he felt ready to go after a full day of work on Tuesday. He credited following every step the training room outlined for a standard hamate recovery, saying he tried to stick to the process exactly as instructed. Vogt echoed that trust in his star’s own read on his body, noting that Ramirez would not have pushed to return if he did not believe he could help the team win.
Cleveland went 15-15 without Ramirez in the lineup, ranking 28th in the majors in runs scored and 26th in OPS over that stretch, numbers that underscore just how much the offense missed his presence even while the Guardians managed to stay afloat. Twins manager Derek Shelton offered high praise of his own after the game, suggesting Ramirez is a franchise cornerstone destined for a statue and the Hall of Fame, someone whose presence changes the entire dynamic of Cleveland’s lineup.
With Ramirez back in the fold and Martinez potentially following soon after, Cleveland’s lineup is trending toward full strength at a critical point in the season. Vogt expressed pride in how his team weathered the five weeks without its best player, saying the Guardians refused to let that stretch define the rest of their year. As Cleveland pushes for a third consecutive division title, having its heart and soul back in the middle of the lineup gives the postseason push a significant boost heading into the stretch run.
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