Guardians need Jose Ramirez to heat up now

Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge may have had his breakout game after struggling in the postseason. The Cleveland Guardians need the same from third baseman Jose Ramirez before it is too late.

Ramirez quietly put together an impressive 2024 showing for the Guardians. He produced a .279/.335/.537 batting line in his 682 plate appearances, hitting 39 homers and 39 doubles while stealing 41 bases. Ramirez came tantalizingly close to becoming the seventh member of the 40/40 club, with a rainout on the final day of the season ending his chances.

However, Ramirez has been ice cold in the postseason, collecting four hits in his 29 plate appearances between the ALDS and ALCS. On the positive side, three of those hits have gone for extra bases, including his two home runs. His second playoff home run this year came in the ninth inning in Game 2 of the ALCS, a 6-3 loss for the Guardians.

While that home run had no bearing on the final outcome, it could be what Ramirez needed. His home run was just the second that reliever Luke Weaver had allowed on a changeup all season; Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hit the other homer on May 22 . Opponents mustered a .160 batting average and a .261 slugging percentage against the changeup this year.

The belief is that Judge, having hit a decisive home run in Game 2, is ready to break out of his playoff malaise. The same may be true with Ramirez as he has slumped during the the Guardians' postseason run thus far. Cleveland needs that to be the case if it's going to have any chance of coming back from its two-game deficit in the ALCS.