Guardians star third baseman José Ramírez exited Saturday's game against the Tigers in the sixth inning of a 3-1 Cleveland win. After the game, word came down that Ramírez had suffered a fractured hamate bone in his left wrist (via The Athletic) and that he's headed to the injured list. Presumably, Ramírez will need to undergo surgery for the issue, which usually is a removal of the bone.
This isn't the first time for Ramírez. It happened in his other hand back in 2019. That season, he was placed on the injured list on Aug. 25 and placed back on the active roster Sept. 24. He hit two homers with seven RBI in his first game back and then homered again in his next game.
Keep in mind here, when eyeing how long Ramírez could be out, that the All-Star break is July 13-16.
The Guardians will be hoping the recovery is as quick and he returns as effective as last time. They moved back into first place with a win and a White Sox loss on Saturday. They are 39-33 while the White Sox are 37-32, giving Cleveland a half-game lead in the AL Central.
Ramírez, 33, is hitting .239/.339/.418 with 18 doubles, 10 home runs, 33 RBI, 41 runs and 24 stolen bases this season. He's long been one of the best players in baseball, having finished in the top three of MVP voting four times and in the top six three other seasons.
The Guardians face the Tigers on Sunday before heading out on a road trip to Milwaukee, Houston and then Chicago for a bout with the second-place White Sox. They also have a four-game series against the White Sox July 2-5, meaning the timing of his injury could prove quite costly.
With Ramírez out, the Guardians will likely roll with Daniel Schneeman at third base.
