When Jos Ramrez is healthy, the Cleveland Guardians are in a much better spot.
And in a win over the Kansas City Royals this past weekend, that belief was on full display.
On Sunday, August 30, the Guardians played host to the Royals to cap off a three-game weekend series, downing their in-division foe 11-1 . With such a massive offensive explosion, Ramrez was at the center of it.
He simply dominated, going 2-for-3 from the plate with a home run, two runs scored, four RBI and a walk drawn. For the first time since he returned from injury at the end of June, he looked like his old self.
"I mean, it's a plan, it's a plan of dealing with pain, but also recovering the strength," Ramrez said postgame when reflecting on how he continues to try and help Cleveland win games. "Many times you feel that weakness when you're hitting, and it's been only two months; you know, people forget that it is a very serious injury and it takes some time to recover.
"But we wanna be in a good spot, trying to find a way to get better every day."
The 33-year-old suffered a left hamate fracture that kept him on the injured list from June 13 through July 22, with his return to the diamond being less than normal. His effectiveness just hasn't been there, but as he mentioned Sunday, that comes with such a major injury.
Across the last 31 games, he has slashed .254/.338/.333 with six doubles, one home run and 15 RBI.
Fortunately, while he may not be able to swing his bat too well just yet, he has kept that eye keen and drawn 15 walks to just 15 strikeouts. He has also swiped seven bases to continue advancing the traffic on the base paths.
But it's hard to imagine that when he finally left the yard for the first time since June 6, there wasn't some relief. While doing the little things right is important, that blast off the bat goes a long way for a player looking to build confidence as the season's last few weeks arrive.
"It has been a little bit [since hitting a home run], and thank God for that[hitting one today," Ramirez said.
When the future Hall of Fame third baseman rounded the bases at Progressive Field, not only did the crowd let him hear it, but his teammates in the dugout did as well.
"It feels like the last few weeks he is really starting to barrel some balls," Vogt said. "He is really starting to drive the ball. That had to feel good for him. That really energized the dugout and everybody because he's our guy. And he has been playing through, recovering from surgery . So, to see that first one go over the fence, it has got to feel really good for him and felt really good for us."
Ramrez and the Guardians are still chasing the Chicago White Sox for the top spot in the American League Central.
And while the road ahead is surely going to be a bumpy one, getting the most out of Ramrez will give them that extra inch needed to potentially snag a spot in the postseason.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/guardians/onsi as Jos Ramrez Opens Up on Hamate Injury, Reveals He Is Still Recovering .
