History Beckons: José Ramírez Approaches 300 Career Stolen Bases

The Cleveland Guardians have already gotten enough from the future Hall of Fame third baseman, but even as he approaches the tail-end of his career, he continues to chase numerous all-time records.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) reacts to his double during the home opening game against the Chicago Cubs, April 4, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. | Andrew Dolph / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's becoming harder and harder to keep track of José Ramírez's path towards broken records and new career marks.

Game by game, series by series, the Cleveland Guardians have gotten outstanding performances from the future Hall of Fame third baseman.

Just a few weeks ago, he set the Guardians' all-time franchise record for games played in a Cleveland uniform, and now, he is approaching yet another milestone.

Following Saturday night's outing against the Toronto Blue Jays, Ramírez's 2026 season total for stolen bases sits at 11, which brings his career total to 298.

That mark of 298 brings him within two of becoming just the second player in team history to surpass 300 stolen bases in their career, all while being just the fourth active player to have such a feat under their belt.

And after he hits 300, he will begin to chase Kenny Lofton, whose clip of 452 puts him at the highest stolen base count of any player to sport the navy blue and red.

Lofton played for the Cleveland Indians for 10 seasons, from 1992 through 2001.

While he was known for being an excellent hitter, at one point batting .349 back in the 1994 campaign, his ability to swipe bags made him a nuisance for opposing pitchers. He led the league in stolen bases in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1995.

During that span, his best season mark was 75, which ranks 90th in league history.

It's hard to imagine that Ramirez will ever snag that many bases in a season, mainly due to how often he is crushing extra-base hits and already putting himself deep into enemy territory, but also because it has never really been a critical part of his game.

Up until the past two seasons, he had only surpassed 30 stolen bases in a season one time, grabbing 34 back in 2018.

His knack for stealing bases is just a great addition to a well-rounded approach for him on the offensive end.

Now, if he can ever break Lofton's record for stolen bases in Cleveland is also a high ask.

If Ramirez plays through his 39-year-old season, he would have to average roughly 28 stolen bases a year to hit 452 swipes. That's a tough task for a player who will likely lose a bit of pep in his step as he continues to age.

However, with what he has displayed throughout the start of the 2026 season, his fire and grit haven't left him just yet.

The Guardians and Blue Jays are facing off on Sunday for the series finale in Toronto, where Ramírez might end up with his 300th career stolen base.