José Ramírez is staying in Cleveland, signing another long-term deal with the Guardians. The extension keeps the star third baseman with the team through the 2032 season, when he’ll be 40. Ideastream Public Media’s commentator Terry Pluto said that although he hadn’t expected a new deal, Ramírez was due for a raise.
“I said, if nothing else, the Guardians should give this guy a bonus because of the previous contract he signed four years ago was, basically, undervalued.”
Ramírez, who had three years remaining on his contract, agreed to a new deal that pays him $25 million annually and includes $70 million in deferred money. By the end of the contract, his career earnings will total $272 million.
Staying with one team that long, Pluto said, is increasingly rare in modern baseball.
“Because either the team thinks you’ve become too high priced and they trade you, or the player decides, 'Well, I’ve been here too long and we haven’t won a World Series and I want to go somewhere else,'” he said.
Pluto pointed to a post on X by Ramírez’s agent, Rafa Nieves, outlining the scope of the deal and what it means beyond dollars.
“He said the Guardians gave José $106 million that he’ll be paid between the ages of 36 and 40,” Pluto said. “They made this contract commitment to him three years early.”
Nieves added that the deal includes symbolic rewards, including a statue in center field, a retired number, first-ballot Hall of Fame consideration, a baseball field, and even a street named after Ramírez in Cleveland.
“But here’s the key part,” Pluto said. “He goes, ‘José marches to the beat of his own drum.' I respect that. He will laugh at all the critics, all the way to the bank and on his way to Cooperstown.”
Pluto said that mindset defines Ramírez as much as his production on the field.
“José doesn’t care that people say you should have been in a bigger market or you should have more commercials,” Pluto said. “He doesn’t care that other people who aren’t nearly as good as Jose are making more money. He cares about wanting to be the greatest player in Cleveland baseball history.”
Ramírez currently has 285 career home runs, within reach of Jim Thome’s franchise record of 337. Last season, he became the first player in franchise history with at least 250 home runs and 250 stolen bases. Ramírez is also the franchise leader in extra base hits with 726 and 27 multi-homer games. He is second in home runs and RBIs (949).
Cleveland has reached the postseason eight times since Ramírez was called up to the majors in 2013, including losing in seven games to the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series. The Guardians have won the AL Central the past two seasons.
“And his contract now, his current contract, he’s deferred 70 million of it down the line,” Pluto said. “And you know why he did it? So the Guardians hopefully would have more money to sign some other guys. Jose likes to win.”
Pluto said Ramírez values playing for a team that competes year after year, even without the resources of a big-market franchise.
“Yeah, they haven’t won the World Series,” Pluto said. “But I think he goes to camp thinking, we got a chance, even if other people don’t think we do.”
Pluto said Ramírez stands apart from every star he has watched.
“I’ve never seen a better Cleveland overall player than José,” he said. “José steals bases. José’s a very good third baseman. José hits for power. José hits average. José plays all the time.”
He added that Ramírez’s toughness and effort define him as much as his statistics.
“He’s played parts of seasons with small broken bones in his hand. José never complains,” Pluto said. “Jose’s uniform is always dirty because he’s hustling and sliding headfirst and his helmet is flying off. I don’t know how a guy could give more on the diamond than José does in terms of just physical effort every single game.”
For fans, the extension means six more seasons of watching one of the franchise’s greatest players.
“People who are critical of the Guardians could say, ‘Oh, they don’t want to spend,’ or this or that,” Pluto said. “Well, your best player, your future Hall of Fame player, your player who likes to win and has won a lot here, still believes they could win a lot here.”
“And that’s what this contract says,” Pluto added. “It’s a very important message.”
