The Cleveland Guardians lost Jose Ramirez, the heart and soul of their lineup, to a broken hamate bone in his left hand sustained on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers. It’s a significant injury, one that will keep him away from the field for at least a month and possibly more.
The worst part of these injuries is that they tend to sap hitters’ power for weeks, even months, after returning to play. So while Ramirez is certainly capable of playing at a 30-homer pace after he gets back into the lineup, it’s also possible that his home run output is heavily affected.
Seeing how they just lost their best player, the Guardians should brace themselves for a battle for the division. As of Monday morning, they are 39-33, tied with the Chicago White Sox at the top.
Will losing Ramirez for several weeks be the knockout blow for Cleveland? Not quite, according to MLB analyst Anthony Castrovince, who did acknowledge that it affects their chances.
“Maybe a 10% dip. The saving grace, of course, is the division. The Tigers just keep losing games. Their greatest threat is the White Sox, surprisingly so. I’d feel worse about the Guardians if this was a major injury on the pitching side, because they’re still ultimately pitching-oriented. They have some flexibility in the farm system on the offensive side. I worry about this team more if they had a major injury on the pitching front,” Castrovince said.
"Maybe a 10% dip. The Tigers just keep losing games. Their greatest threat is the White Sox… I'd feel worse about the Guardians if this was a major injury on the pitching side."
📞@castrovince on the Guardians playoff odds after the Jose Ramirez injury pic.twitter.com/QKWUHcGagi
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 15, 2026
Castrovince is right: the Guardians do have some flexibility and high-upside players in the minor leagues on the offensive side of things. Cooper Ingle has been one of the best prospects in baseball this season, and he is currently learning outfield in addition to being a catcher.
The Guardians still have infielders Ralphy Velazquez, Juan Brito, and Gabriel Arias, plus outfielders Petey Halpin, George Valera, and CJ Kayfus. Most of these players can also cover multiple positions.
Playing so much time without Ramirez, his 10 homers and 24 steals will definitely hurt. That’s a fact. However, the Guardians should be able to move on without him as long as it’s just a few weeks and there are no complications upon returning.
Still, a 10 percent dip is significant in such a tight division, with the up-and-coming White Sox and the Tigers getting Tarik Skubal back. Cleveland will need to be at the top of its game to fend off the competition.
NEXT: Analyst Raises Concern About Jose Ramirez Post-Injury Performance
