José Ramírez named AL Player of the Week for fifth time

Cleveland Guardians All-Star third baseman José Ramírez took home AL Player of the Week honors for the fifth time in his career on Monday.

Ramírez, who is essentially signed to play his entire career in Cleveland, recorded 11 hits, two doubles, one triple, and two home runs in the last week. This wasn’t just one great game carrying him, either. It was pure domination through a seven-day, six-game stretch.

Ramírez had at least one hit in every game he played last week — and, in fact, he has one in every game this season — to go along with two three-hit games. He also didn’t record a single strikeout and walked twice.

This is the fifth time Ramírez has taken home the honor of AL Player of the Week, and the first since Sept. 2021.

The deal that Ramírez and the Guardians worked out in the offseason was finalized prior to Cleveland’s home opener on Thursday, in the midst of his award-winning week. It guarantees that the All-Star and former MVP runner-up could be in Cleveland as far out as 2028 with team options. Even at $141 million, the largest contract ever given out by the Guardians, the deal is a steal for the team that José calls home. They get a perennial MVP candidate locked up through his prime for no more than $25 million in any single season. It also comes with a full no-trade clause, which likely cost Ramírez some cold hard cash, but also ensured he would stay in Cleveland as long as humanly possible.