Andrés Giménez was a very popular guy in the Cleveland Guardians clubhouse.
From Steven Kwan to Brayan Rocchio, many of his former teammates showed sadness and disappointment in social media when they heard the now former Guardians second baseman was getting traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Third baseman and team star Jose Ramirez, however, didn’t hide his frustration while reacting the news.
Commenting on an MLB Network Instagram post detailing the deal, Ramirez posted multiple hand-in-face emojis, as if he was saying “what are we doing?”.
Here is proof:
Jose Ramirez reacts to the Andres Gimenez trade 😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/viYXnTj4YD
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) December 14, 2024
Ramirez shared the same infield with Giménez for multiple seasons.
He witnessed Giménez’s offensive growth in 2022 and then his two-year slide.
Above all things, however, he watched how Giménez became arguably the best defender at second base in the entire league.
It surely hurts to see his teammate go, but that’s the nature of business.
While he has accumulated impressive speed and defense numbers – he has won three straight Gold Glove awards and a Platinum Glove in 2022 – Giménez’ bat is replaceable, and the team badly needed young, controllable and talented starting pitchers like Luis L. Ortiz.
Ortiz posted a 3.32 ERA with the Pittsburgh Pirates this year and has more untapped potential now that he has joined the Guardians organization.
If they develop as expected, both Angel Martinez and Juan Brito carry more offensive floor and upside than Giménez.
There is also the chance the Guardians bring in more competition, or a more established piece.
We understand Ramirez’s disappointment to see his teammate and friend go, but all things considered, Cleveland might be better off as currently constructed.
NEXT: Guardians Prospect Preparing For Key Spring Training Battle
