Tuesday night did not go the way José Ramírez wanted. His fourth inning error at third base opened the door for three unearned runs in the Cleveland Guardians’ 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, and he took full responsibility for the miscue after the game. But that tough moment should not overshadow another piece of history Ramírez quietly added to his résumé at Tropicana Field. His hit in Game 2 pushed him past one of the most beloved players in franchise history on Cleveland’s all time postseason hits list. Only one name now sits ahead of him.
With 49 career postseason hits, Ramírez passed Kenny Lofton for second place in franchise history. He now trails only Omar Vizquel, who finished his Cleveland career with 57 postseason hits.
“José Ramírez moves into 2nd place for the most in Guardians postseason history (49),” Mason Horodyski posted.
With his last hit, José Ramírez moves into 2nd place for the most in #Guardians postseason history (49), passing Kenny Lofton
He trails only Omar Vizquel (57)#GuardsBall x @WEWS
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 14, 2026
That is some legendary company. Lofton was the catalyst atop the lineup for the great Cleveland teams of the 1990s, a speedy center fielder who won four Gold Gloves and made six All Star teams while helping lead the franchise to the World Series in 1995 and 1997. Vizquel was his partner in the middle of that dynasty, a wizard at shortstop who won eight straight Gold Gloves in Cleveland and played on both of those pennant winners. Those teams are remembered as some of the best in franchise history, and Ramírez now sits right alongside their biggest stars in the record book.
He has been climbing that list quickly this October. Earlier in the postseason, Ramírez tied Jim Thome on the franchise hits list during the division series against the White Sox. He also became the first player in franchise history to homer in back-to-back postseason games while facing elimination, and his sixth career postseason home run tied Albert Belle for third in team history.
His run over the last week has been remarkable. During Cleveland’s four game postseason winning streak, which ended with Tuesday’s loss, Ramírez hit .471 with two homers and eight RBIs. He went 3-5 in Game 1 of the ALCS, starting the eighth inning rally that gave Cleveland the lead and adding an RBI single in the ninth. He added another hit on Tuesday to pass Lofton.
All of this has come in a season in which Ramírez has not been fully healthy. He underwent surgery on the hamate bone in his left hand in June, and the Guardians do not expect him to be completely back to normal until next year. He struggled for much of the second half of the regular season before rediscovering his swing just in time for the playoffs.
Catching Vizquel is within reach, too. Ramírez needs eight more hits to tie him for the franchise record, and with at least three more games left in the ALCS and a potential World Series trip on the line, he could get there before this postseason is over.
The Guardians will return home for Game 3 on Thursday at Progressive Field, with the series tied at one game apiece and Gavin Williams on the mound. After a rough night on Tuesday, Ramírez will be eager to get back in front of the home crowd that loves him, and every hit from here on out moves him closer to the top of the list.
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