Jose Ramirez is more than just a member of the Cleveland Guardians: he is THE Cleveland Guardian!
The last couple of days have been busy for the star third baseman: he is still raking on the field, and his future off the field will change for the good.
On Thursday, the Guardians finally announced what had became of public domain a few days ago: they signed him to a seven-year, $141 million contract extension.
There is video that proves it, too, and it came from the Guardians’ entertaining Twitter account.
Pen to paper.
José Ramírez is a Cleveland Guardian for a long time, bro.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/rP7Vmr4YjX
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) April 15, 2022
The 29-year-old infielder is a perennial MVP candidate and remains very much in the middle of his prime, so there is a strong argument to be made that he signed a team-friendly deal.
Ramirez Is So Good That He Is Still Underpaid
Still, it’s hard to pass on $141 million, and he and his family are now financially set for life.
He will earn $22 million in 2022; $14 million in 2023, $17 million in 2024, $19 million in 2025, $21 million in 2026, $23 million in 2027, and $25 million in 2028.
His play justifies a much larger salary, more than $30 million per season, but the player gets financial security and the team signs its biggest star to an affordable deal, giving themselves flexibility to go after a Shane Bieber extension or pay arbitration-eligible players in the next few years.
Ramirez is off to an incredible start on the 2022 season, slashing .480/.536/1.040 with three home runs, five runs scored, and a whopping 14 (!) RBI.
Last year, he was a true MVP candidate, hitting .266/.355/.538 with 36 homers, 27 stolen bases, 111 runs, and 103 RBI.
He is the perfect example of an all-around contributor and a quiet star: he is not flashy, but he gets the job done and that’s all that matters to the Guardians.
