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Opinon by Tim Shirer
With the news on Saturday (January 24, 2026) that Jose Ramirez is signing an extension with the Cleveland Guardians to remain with the team through the 2032 season when he will be 40 years old. The extension is reportedly for 7 years and $175 million with $70 million being deferred ($10 million per year of the seven years).
Jose grew up dirt poor in Bani, Dominican Republic. Jose is the American Dream, Jose could have left Cleveland when he was eligible for free agency, but before that even happened, he agreed to his first extension with the team. Jose reportedly and he has expressed it in interviews many times that he loves Cleveland. He loves the fans who have supported him from the day he debuted on September 1, 2013. He beat the highly touted money chaser Francisco Lindor to the big leagues by a year and a half.
I watched the two of them play together with the Lake County Captains at Low-A ball in 2012. Lindor spent the entire season there and was honestly underwhelming for the hype that came with him. He was a fantastic fielder and just an average hitter.
No hype, zero came with Jose Ramirez. He just played baseball. He was called up to Lake County at the Midwest League all-star break and played the entire second half with the Captains.
Jose had the same effect with Lake County as he has had in Cleveland. The first half of the 2012 season with the much-touted Lindor at shortstop the Captains finished dead last in the Midwest League’s Eastern Division. When Ramirez joined the team, they took off and won the division in the second half to qualify for the playoffs. Oh yeah Lindor hit .257 in 2012 while Ramirez in his half season at Lake County he hit .354.
Moving forward to the upcoming 2026 season Ramirez is racking up hall of fame numbers and the Guardians have qualified for the post season three of the four seasons since he signed his original extension. He has also been an all-star all four seasons. Meanwhile, money chasing Lindor has been to the post season two times since he was traded because he 100% absolutely did not want to sign an extension with the Indians no matter how much he lies and says publicly he wanted too. No matter what fake tears he cried when he returned to Cleveland this past season with his high payroll Mets when someone asked what he missed most, he did not say the loyal fans, he said “winning.” The guy is such a fake. He was honest about one thing though, he cared nothing about the fans, nothing. He is garbage. I’ll be honest, I covered him at Lake County when he was still a nice humble guy. He is proof people change.
Jose is a real guy. Jose is a guy who if he wasn’t playing baseball and he drove a truck or worked in a factory to support his family he would work so hard at it to be the best at what he was going to do because supporting his family is what matters to him. Jose also realizes that $25 million a year is pretty good and you can support your family pretty well with that. Jose doesn’t only want to win because he’s winner and the World Series is the ultimate goal, he wants to win for you and me.
When has there ever been a Cleveland professional athlete that left so much money on the table so he could play for us? I’ll answer the question, NEVER!
I’ve heard the discussion that Jose is considered a top five athlete in the history of Cleveland pro sports. If we take loyalty and talent into consideration, he’s not only in the top five, he’s number one. Yep, he’s ahead of Jim Brown, he’s ahead of LeBron James and he’s certainly ahead of Jim Thome and Myles Garrett who was ready to leave until Jimmy and Susan Haslam backed up the Brinks truck and paid him.
Prior to a year ago I would have had Garrett and Jose tied at the top or maybe just behind Jim Brown and with Bob Feller. But no way can Myles Garrett be considered a Cleveland Icon because he threatened to leave and talked a lot of garbage because he was just concerned with getting paid more money, he’s out as far as I’m concerned.
LeBron James is different, he was honest, he left to go to Miami, and we were all upset, but he was honest, he wanted to win and at the point it wasn’t going to happen in Cleveland. He then came back and helped the Cavs win a championship. He kept his promise and to me that matters.
Finally, can we just be happy that an athlete wants to play here and loves our city “Cleveland is my house (home)”? Not because of money, (like Myles Garrett) but because he likes us as a people. Can you ask for more from a professional athlete in 2026?
POSTED 01/25/2026 18:55
