Jose Ramirez is back with a vengeance…
The 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball player and Cleveland Indians said he was “ready to play” following his activation from the injured list on Tuesday. Two home runs later, it appears he was understating matters.
The switch-hitting Ramirez smacked a first-inning grand slam in his first plate appearance since August 24, swinging left-handed against Chicago White Soxstarter Carson Fulmer. He followed that up with a three-run shot from the right side of plate in the third against reliever Hector Santiago.
With the Indians up 11-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, manager Terry Francona replaced Ramirez in the lineup with Yu Chang. Ramirez finished the game 2-for-3, striking out in his final at-bat. The Indians wonby the same score.
It’s Ramirez’s third multi-homer game this year and first since August 15 in New York. The switch-hitting third baseman now has 12 career multi-homer games.
Ramirez surpassed his career high with the seven RBI. He tied his previous high of six RBI in a game during the Tribe’s 19-5 romp that featured a three-run homer and a two-run shot. He previously drove in six runs on April 15, 2017 against the Detroit Tigers.
“Seven RBIs his first two at-bats when he had surgery and hasn’t played in a month, that’s unbelievable,” Francona said.
Ramirez had missed four weeks during Cleveland’s drive for an American Leagueplayoff spot because of a fractured hamate bone in his right hand.
His seven RBIs through three innings Tuesday were a career high for a game.
“I was super, super happy,” Ramirez said after his big game. “It was great to be back with the guys and help however I [could].”
Ramirez was activated from the 10-day injured list prior to the contest. Ramirez, who turned 27 last week, suffered the hamate injury on August 24 against the Kansas City Royals. He had surgery two days later.
Ramirez said before the game that he’s still “not 100 percent on my wrist, but still I feel a big improvement.”
The two-time MLB All-Starhit .254 with 20 homers and 75 RBIs in his first 126 games this season. He was on a tear before getting hurt, hitting .320 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs in 46 games in July and August.