The Cleveland Guardians have rewarded Jose Ramirez with a massive contract extension that is likely to keep the All-Star third baseman with the franchise for the rest of his MLB career. Now, Ramirez is projected to return the favor with another outstanding season.
The six-time Silver Slugger winner is coming off back-to-back 30-30 seasons, which is a rare accomplishment. Though the FanGraphs Steamer outlook for this campaign has Ramirez falling just short, he easily could do it again.
According to Sarah Langs, if Ramirez does post his third straight 30-30 season in 2026, he would join historic company, as Barry Bonds is the only MLB player to accomplish that feat.
“Currently, Steamer doesn’t project any players with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. But there are three players projected to have at least 30 stolen bases and 25 home runs: [Corbin] Carroll (27 HR, 33 SB), Ramirez (27-30) and [Bobby] Witt (26-31). Ramirez is just the ninth player to record at least two consecutive 30-30 seasons, joining Witt (2023-24), Ryan Braun (2011-12), Alfonso Soriano (2005-06, 2002-03), Vladimir Guerrero Sr. (2001-02), Barry Bonds (1995-97), Ron Gant (1990-91), Bobby Bonds (1977-78) and Willie Mays (1956-57). The thing about that list? The only player with three straight is Barry Bonds, which means Ramirez would be the second to do so in baseball history,” Langs wrote.
Last season, Ramirez hit 30 home runs and had 44 stolen bases. In 2024, he hit a career-high-tying 39 home runs and had 41 stolen bases. The season prior to that, he came close with 24 homers and 28 steals, which means he has already threatened the historic three-in-a-row status.
This season, he is projected to hit 27 home runs and have 30 stolen bases, so the accomplishment should be well within reach. He has hit at least 30 homers two other times in his 13-year career, including in 2018, when he hit 39 with 34 steals in his first 30-30 season.
Helping Ramirez’s pursuit of a repeat performance will be his outstanding durability. The 33-year-old has played in at least 152 games in each of the past five seasons, helping the Guardians remain a consistent contender in the AL Central.
His day-after-day production is why he is considered one of the best players in baseball, with MLB Network ranking him at No. 5 on its Top 100 list for 2026. He is a seven-time All-Star and perennial MVP candidate, finishing third in the voting last season behind Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
Armed with a new deal that runs through the 2032 season, Ramirez will certainly reach more milestones and make more history as he is likely to eventually hold all of the major franchise records for Cleveland.
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