José Ramírez did not get the chance to make history and join one of baseball’s most elite groups. In the end, the 40-40 mark was just beyond his grasp.
Cleveland’s All-Star third baseman finished one home run away from becoming the seventh player to achieve 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season.
His opportunity was lost when the Guardians’ final regular-season game against the Houston Astros was canceled due to rain on Sunday.
Ramírez had 41 stolen bases and also ended with 39 doubles, leaving him just one double shy of being the second player ever with 40 home runs, 40 doubles, and 40 stolen bases in a season—an achievement only accomplished by Alfonso Soriano in 2006.
Though he felt let down, Ramírez made a promise to Guardians’ first-year manager Stephen Vogt.
“He was like, ‘Hey, I’ll do it next year,’” Vogt said. “That’s who he is. He wants to win. Unfortunately, he just didn’t get one last opportunity.”
The teams waited more than three hours before Major League Baseball decided to call off the game. With the Astros needing to prepare for their Monday workout ahead of Tuesday’s wild-card series against Detroit, there was no reason to keep delaying the game.
Sadly, the rainout took away a chance for Cleveland fans to possibly see Ramírez deliver another exciting moment—something he has done often throughout his career.
On Saturday, Ramírez hit his 39th home run in the first inning off Justin Verlander and also earned his 39th double in the eighth inning, ending an 11-pitch at-bat where he fouled a ball off his leg. It was also his 1,500th career hit.
Thousands of fans—many wearing ponchos—waited through the long weather delay, hoping Ramírez could hit again and join Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and Soriano in the exclusive 40-40 club.
It was not meant to be.
“Unfortunately, Hosey didn’t get to have one more shot at it,” Vogt said. “But to be the second person in the history of baseball to do what he did this year, that’s still a pretty cool feat.
You think about all the close calls that he had and the times he was robbed, and it’s still a remarkable season, what he put together.”
Ramírez, who is 32 and from the Dominican Republic, has spent his whole career in Cleveland. His hard work, consistency, and passion have made him one of the team’s most beloved players and earned him respect throughout baseball.
When he steps up to bat at Progressive Field, fans often chant “Ho-sey, Ho-sey, Ho-sey, Ho-sey,” and he frequently responds by hitting the ball down one of the baselines and sliding into second base without his helmet.
“He’s one of the most underrated players in the big leagues, 100%,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He’s a really good player on both sides of the ball. I personally don’t like when he comes to the plate, obviously.
“But I admire watching him play because of how good and how tough he is. The passion that he plays with.”
Before coming to Cleveland, Vogt was an outsider who only saw Ramírez as an opponent. Now, he gets to watch one of the best players in baseball up close.
“One of the favorite parts of this job is watching him every single day be the same person,” Vogt said. “Playing the game the right way, going about his business. Playing the game to win, and your numbers will be there at the end of the year.
“He’s the epitome and example of that, and it’s so great that our young players get to watch.”
