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Jose Ramirez passes Albert Belle for second place on Guardians all-time home run list
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- Jose Ramirez passes Albert Belle for second place on Guardians all-time home run list
CLEVELAND — Manny Ramirez ? Check. Albert Belle? Check.
Only one player remains.
Jose Ramirez has passed some of the biggest names in Guardians franchise history over the last few weeks. He first breezed past Manny Ramirez , and he then launched three home runs in two games in Detroit earlier this week, which brought his career total to 243 dingers, enough to pass Belle as well.
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He added his 244th home run in a 10-3 win over Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Royals on June 6 in Cleveland.
Jose Ramirez has sole possession of second place on Cleveland's all-time home run list . And he's still only 31 years old.
"It's incredible what Jose does every night, and getting a chance to watch him play every day now for the first time, it is special," said first-year manager Stephen Vogt . "And, I mean, Albert Belle? That's a big name. For him to catch him … I'm not surprised, but it is really cool."
When starting pitcher Tanner Bibee was told Ramirez had just passed Belle on the team's all-time list, his eyes lit up.
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"Oh, my God, that's really cool," Bibee said.
Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez watches his two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 22 in Cleveland.
Jose Ramirez stats, home run totals place his name in Guardians team history
Ramirez could retire tomorrow, and he'd still be considered one of the best players in franchise history . Among position players, his 48.8 career fWAR with Cleveland ranks fourth, behind only Nap Lajoie (74.9), Tris Speaker (72.2) and Lou Boudreau (62.9).
As a result of the seven-year, $141 million extension he signed , the Guardians have Ramirez under club control through the 2028 season so, unless he's traded, he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Among players with at least six years of service time, Ramirez's contract is among the most valuable in the game considering his production.
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And along the way, he continues to cement his name among the franchise's all-time best.
"It would be hard to overstate what Jose has meant to the franchise over time, and the things he continues to do," president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. "It's fun to see him continue to check off some of those milestones, and I'm excited to see what's next, because he does so many things so well and impacts the game in a variety of ways. We're fortunate to have him."
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) hits a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals on June 28 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jose Ramirez chasing Jim Thome for Guardians all-time home run record
Only one player remains ahead of Ramirez — Jim Thome , who belted 337 career home runs with Cleveland, so Ramirez still has a long way to go to claim the No. 1 spot. Based on Ramirez's recent pace over the last few seasons and future projections entering 2024 , he's on pace to pass Thome in May 2028, the last year of his current deal.
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Just outside the visiting clubhouse at Comerica Park in Detroit , the Tigers have photos of players from all around the league. As Ramirez answered questions from reporters, a picture of himself from several years ago sat just over his left shoulder. He was asked to reflect on his journey with the Guardians over the years.
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"Yeah, I mean, I see a lot of youth in that picture, but at the same time he knew there was going to be a good career in this organization, and be able to put up the numbers that I put up," Ramirez said via a team translator. "But for me, at the end of the night, the most important part is trying to win. I want to go home some day and feel like I won, and then I'm a winner."
When prompted with the idea of passing Thome, Ramirez joked about extending his deal.
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"Just talk to Antonetti so you can give me five more years and we can make sure to get those numbers," Ramirez joked.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jose Ramirez home run passes Albert Belle in Cleveland Guardians ranks
