José Ramírez Breaks Down Hamate Injury, Discusses Next Steps

Ramirez is expected to be out 5-7 weeks with the injury he suffered during Saturday night's 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.

Jun 7, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Jose Ramirez (11) looks on after he strikes out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Just when the Cleveland Guardians were heating up, they were dealt a spell of injuries.

And at the center of them sits future Hall of Fame third baseman José Ramírez, who will be out for roughly five to seven weeks with a hamate fracture.

The injury occurred in the team's 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, June 13, with teammates Angel Martinez and Chase DeLauter leaving the contest as well.

While both Martinez and DeLauter haven't been placed on the injured list yet, with the severity of their injuries being less than that of Ramírez, Cleveland's going to have to find a way to keep momentum moving in the right direction.

Before the Guardians and Tigers were set to collide in the series finale on Sunday afternoon, Ramírez spoke to the media in the clubhouse. He shared an update on where he was at and how the injury looks so far.

"I felt something out of the normal after I finished the swing, I heard some pop," said Ramírez in the clubhouse Sunday morning. "And obviously my hamate started hurting, so I knew there was something off there... We are still talking to the doctors. They know that something is broken, something related to my hamate bone.

"But not timelines or anything like that, but something's wrong."

A hamate injury, according to MLB.com's deep-dive back in February of this year, can hold players off the diamond anywhere from five weeks to seven weeks. It is an incredibly fragile bone.

"The hamate bone is a small, wedge-shaped bone located in the wrist, on the pinky side," Anthony Castrovince wrote. "It has a small, hook-like projection called the 'Hook of the Hamate.' Think of it like a tiny coat hook. It serves an important purpose as the attachment point for the transverse carpal ligament forming the roof of the carpal tunnel."

Such an injury could hinder Ramírez's comfort at the plate down the line if it doesn't heal properly, something he can't necessarily sacrifice after the start he has had.

On the 2026 campaign, the 33-year-old had been faced with ups and downs in his game. Heading into the heart of June, he had a .239/.339/.418 slashing line, with 64 hits, 18 doubles and 10 home runs. While his bat wasn't always going, his legs were, with him posting 24 stolen bases across 72 games.

The Guardians' coaching staff will now begin preparing to figure out how they can adjust and adapt the roster to flow without him in the lineup. In his place, the team is set to start Gabriel Arias at third, who was just activated off the 60-day injured list.

Ramírez shared that he trusts this group, though, stating that he will continue to remain positive and energetic in the dugout.

"I trust them wholeheartedly..." he said. "That's who I am, I am going to continue doing it in any way I can."

The series finale between the Guardians and Tigers is set for 1:40 p.m. EST, with a lineup featuring no DeLauter, Martinez and Ramirez. In their usual places in the field, Arias, David Fry and Steven Kwan will fill in.

While it may not be the best fix, in the immediate term, it does the job as the coaching staff works to figure out the best lineup with such important players being inactive.