The Cleveland Guardians are preparing for the 2026 season facing a lot of unknowns. They are looking for a lineup boost from multiple young prospects, but they have no idea how many of them will be up to the task.
They also have a starting rotation that has a ton of potential but is filled with pitchers without long track records. In addition, the bullpen must continue to adjust with Cade Smith in his first full season as the closer.
While dealing with all of that, the Guardians know that they can count on one thing, for certain. Third baseman Jose Ramirez will always be there as one of the best players in the game.
That is why MLB analysts Theo DeRosa, Brent Maguire, and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru are projecting Ramirez to be the Guardians’ top player in 2026 with a 4.8 WAR.
“Guardians: Jose Ramirez (4.8 WAR),” they wrote. “One of MLB’s most consistent stars, Ramirez was recently rewarded with a seven-year, $175 million extension with the Guardians through 2032. The veteran third baseman is coming off a 30-homer campaign with a career-high 44 steals, posting a .282/.360/.503 slash line and racking up 6.3 WAR. He was also one of MLB’s best defenders at third base, totaling +7 Outs Above Average in 2025.”
Having turned 33 years old near the end of last season, Ramirez seems to be getting better with age. He has posted back-to-back 30-30 seasons, and with another one, he would join Barry Bonds as the only players to ever have three in a row.
Ramirez finished third in AL MVP voting in 2025, after placing fifth in 2024 and ranking in the top 10 in each of the past six seasons. On top of that, he plays every day, with at least 156 appearances in the past four seasons.
Entering 2026, MLB Network ranked him fifth on its list of the Top 100 players. However, one preseason projection does show him falling short of a 30-homer, 20-steal season, based on a drop-off in power.
Guardians fans know that seems very unlikely, based on what they’ve seen from the perennial All-Star. This year, Ramirez could be relied on even more, especially in the early going, as the Guardians try to integrate prospects such as Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana into their lineup for their first major league seasons.
It all lines up to be another great year for Ramirez on his Hall of Fame trajectory.
NEXT: Stats Show How Young Guardians Outfielder Is Ready For Big Leagues
