Jose Ramirez's record shows why he's face of Cleveland sports. Opinion
CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez is more than the undisputed face of the Guardians .
While Ramirez awaits his inevitable statue outside Progressive Field , give him the championship belt because he is the face of Cleveland sports.
On Monday, April 6, Ramirez reminded everyone how much he means to the local sports scene, passing Terry Turner for the most games played in Cleveland baseball’s 125-year history with 1,620. Turner had held the franchise record since 1918. He was born in 1881 and played for Cleveland from 1904-18. He died in 1960.
What did Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez say about his franchise record for games played?
The 33-year-old Ramirez ascended to the top of the list when the Guardians’ 4-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals became an official game with the completion of five innings.
The Guardians recognized the historic moment at the end of the fifth inning by making a public address announcement, playing a tribute video on the scoreboard and unveiling a 1,620 sign in right field.
Guardians first base and catching coach Sandy Alomar Jr. presented Ramirez with third base. He hoisted it as he posed for photographs and fans chanted his name. Ramirez said he'll find a special place in his home for the base.
"I'm very proud of that accomplishment. But most importantly, I'm thanking God that he's allowed me to be healthy all this time to accomplish that," Ramirez said through interpreter Agustin Rivero .
Ramirez is the only active MLB player to lead an organization in games played, according to MLB.com researcher and reporter Sarah Langs.
Although Ramirez appreciates the distinction, he explained he is primarily focused on two other goals.
"Work to get to the Hall of Fame and also win a World Series — these are the two things I really want to accomplish with this team," Ramirez said.
Cleveland Guardians news: Jose Ramirez reflects on career as he sets games record
What has allowed Ramirez to climb to the mountaintop and reach this milestone also reflects why he’s the face of Cleveland sports.
“The most impressive thing about him to me is how hard he plays every single day,” Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo said. “Sunny, rainy, hot, cold, it doesn't matter if it's August or the first game of the season, he's playing his butt off every single day, leaving nothing to chance. That's special, man.”
Ramirez is the epitome of loyal, tough and consistent.
Jose Ramirez sets first major record since his most recent contract extension with Guardians
Loyalty in pro sports is virtually nonexistent, yet Ramirez has repeatedly demonstrated it because he’s comfortable in mid-market Cleveland and takes pride in representing the team with which he broke through. Unlike many star athletes, he isn’t addicted to attention or obsessed with attaining greater celebrity status.
Resistant to the limelight, Ramirez has given the Guardians two team-friendly bargains, signing a seven-year, $175 million contract extension in January and a seven-year, $141 million extension in 2022.
“With the free-agent market, a lot of guys want to go out and make every dollar they can, try to push their brand or whatever,” Guardians utility man David Fry said. “He's about winning baseball games. He wants to be here, and he wants to win here.”
Cleveland’s other top-tier players haven’t provided their teams with discounts the way Ramirez has — twice.
The discussion about the face of Cleveland sports became interesting in 2024 when Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year extension with the Cavs worth $150.3 million, silencing national media members who swore he would flee for New York without hesitation.
Mitchell is an excellent leader and player. The seven-time All-Star is a class act who has embraced Northeast Ohio.
But this is Ramirez’s 14th season with Cleveland, and Mitchell has only played for the Cavs since 2022, when they acquired him in a trade with the Utah Jazz. Mitchell signed a maximum contract extension to stay here.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is another contender for the face of Cleveland sports, though the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year’s most recent contract extension (four years, $160 million) came on the heels of a 2025 trade request and media blitz during which he flirted with joining other teams.
Because of Garrett's approach, albeit rooted in an honest assessment of the bungling Browns, Mitchell is clearly the runner-up to seven-time All-Star third baseman Ramirez for the face of Cleveland sports throne.
This is despite Mitchell being more engaged with local reporters than Ramirez. Mitchell doesn’t have the same language barrier as Ramirez, a native of Bani, Dominican Republic. But even if it weren’t a factor, it’s safe to say Ramirez would keep to himself more than the outgoing Mitchell.
Cleveland fans don’t care. They put more stock in Ramirez’s actions. He has endeared himself to them with on-field excellence and an ultra-rare allegiance to the city.
Guardians All-Star Jose Ramirez has formed a bond with Cleveland
When Beacon Journal reporter Alisson Toro-Lagos asked Ramirez in Spanish about his Cleveland pride, he gave an answer so good it has been used on a T-shirt.
“I'm a 50-50 — 50% Dominican, 50% Clevelander,” Ramirez said this past winter during his latest contract extension news conference.
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None of this would matter if Ramirez didn’t deliver on the field at an elite level.
Since debuting with Cleveland as a pinch runner on Sept. 1, 2013, Ramirez has helped the team earn seven playoff appearances, six AL Central Division titles and a trip to the World Series in 2016. He has finished in the top five of AL MVP voting six times and won six Silver Slugger awards.
Ramirez has routinely rewritten Cleveland baseball’s record book. He leads the franchise in extra-base hits, and, entering April 6, he ranked second in home runs (286), total bases (3,018), RBIs (954) and stolen bases (289), third in doubles (400) and seventh in hits (1,674).
“We were actually talking about it the other day when we saw the sign out in right field,” Fry said. “I think one of our pitching coaches, BG [ Brad Goldberg ], was like, ‘Dude, it's just crazy to think about how long this organization has been around, and we're playing with the best player that's ever been in this organization.’”
Ramirez has worked hard behind the scenes to prepare his body for this longevity record, and he has also pushed through countless injuries en route to 1,620 games.
“Some guys will get the tough guy [label] because they make it that way. Jose's not like that,” Fry said. “If he's hurting, he's not going to tell you, and then you're going to find out a couple months later, like, ‘Oh, something was broken, or something was torn, and he just played through it.’ He's just that kind of guy. He doesn't want you to know that he's going through anything. He’s going to push through it, and he typically plays really well whether he feels good or not.”
Ramirez is a future Hall of Famer. And in the meantime, he’s the face of Cleveland sports.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com . On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jose Ramirez sets Cleveland Guardians' record for games played
