For the second straight season, the Cleveland Guardians rallied in the second half to win the AL Central, but fell sort of reaching the World Series. Cleveland's season ended when it dropped Game 6 of the best-of-seven ALCS to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday night (TB 7, CLE 3). The three-time defending AL Central champions now face an important offseason -- they're all important offseasons, but especially this one -- in which several core players are facing a level of uncertainty about their future.
Here are three questions facing the Guardians following their ALDS exit. This past season, third baseman José Ramírez became the Guardians' franchise leader in games played (1,734) in what turned out to be his worst season since becoming a regular in 2016. He authored a .235/.320/.368 batting line that was down 175 points of OPS and 43 points of OPS+ from last season.
Ramírez went from MVP candidate in 2025 to just OK in 2026. Perhaps the hand injury is to blame. Ramírez fractured the hamate bone in his left hand on June 13; at the time, he was hitting .239/.339/.418 through 72 games.
That is below his usual production, but isn't bad by any means. After returning from surgery in late July, Ramírez slashed .229/.296/.302 in 53 games with little hard contact. He looked nothing like peak J-Ram.
The Guardians are built offensively around Ramírez, and if he underperforms, the walls begin to cave in. Also, Cleveland signed him to a seven-year, $175 million extension last January. He'll make $25 million a year (roughly 33% of the team's 2026 payroll) through 2032.
Ramírez being less than a star will hurt the team on the field and financially. Ramírez turned 34 last month and age-related decline could be coming. Great players age differently than other players, but Father Time is undefeated.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
