José Ramírez's Return to Baseball Ignites New Fire For Guardians

Ramírez is hoping to return back to hot form on the diamond quickly, especially as the 2026 MLB Postseason race begins to heat up.

Jun 13, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez (11) fields a ground ball against the Detroit Tigers for the third out of the first inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When José Ramírez took the field on Wednesday, July 22, all of Cleveland erupted.

And rightfully so.

A staple of the organization for more than a decade, Ramírez's absence over the last month due to injury was a significant blow to the Guardians.

While the club's young core held down the fort and kept Cleveland near the top of the American League Central as the 33-year-old recovered from surgery, his return should provide the spark the lineup has been missing and help the Guardians rediscover the form they showed just a few weeks ago.

Nice ovation for José Ramírez as he steps up for his first at-bat off the injured list. pic.twitter.com/cUtpNJhuE7

— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) July 22, 2026

But unfortunately, such success in the win column just hasn't come yet.

After returning on Wednesday, Cleveland has yet to find a win, going 0-2 against the Minnesota Twins along the way. Unfortunately, sometimes, that's just how the cookie crumbles.

However, it shouldn't deter the Guardians from moving into the back half of the campaign with any less excitement. After all, Ramírez's return gives the team a powerful bat they had been missing for the past few weeks.

Across his illustrious 14-year career, Ramírez has belted a grand total of 295 home runs, with 20 or more coming in all but six, one of which is this year. Currently, he is on pace to eclipse such a mark, even while missing time due to injury.

But it isn't just his home run hitting abilities that make him such a valuable bat in the power department; he also rakes doubles.

Back in 2017, he led baseball in such a stat, smacking 56. He also led the American League in doubles in 2022, posting 44.

This season, he currently owns 18, which is the second-highest on the team, trailing just rookie Chase DeLauter. Outside of those two, no one else on the team has more than 15.

His return to the lineup is going to give them that extra punch at the plate, which should help push them back ahead of the White Sox for the top spot in the American League.

Good to have you back between the lines 1️⃣1️⃣.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/vA4KlXMvJo

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 22, 2026

He already showed that too, putting two runs across the plate via RBIs on Wednesday night, finishing with two total knocks. He didn't get on base Thursday, but it's hard to focus on his performance with the entire team struggling, going on to lose in extra innings with a combined three hits as a team.

Heading into the weekend, the Guardians will need all they can get from Ramírez.

On Friday, July 24, they'll travel to Tropicana Field in Tampa to take on the Rays, beginning a three-game set that will run through Sunday. Friday's first pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. EST.

And if Ramírez can continue to lead the way at the plate, Cleveland will have a strong chance to avoid carrying a losing streak into the weekend.