CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez made his return to the field Wednesday, coming off the injured list after a five-week absence that followed surgery on his left hand.
The seven-time All-Star had been out of action since suffering the injury in a game against Detroit on June 13. He subsequently had an operation to remove the hamate bone from his left hand. Ramírez is considered Cleveland’s top player, and his return gives the club a significant boost as it looks to defend its AL Central division crown.
Despite being without their star, the Guardians held their ground, posting a 15-15 record during Ramírez’s absence and keeping pace with the division’s top teams. Heading into Wednesday’s matchup against Minnesota, Cleveland found itself in a near tie for first place with the Chicago White Sox.
Ramírez was placed directly in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game, hitting second in the batting order and manning third base.
Notably, Ramírez skipped a minor league rehabilitation assignment before being reinstated, with the Guardians expressing confidence in his recovery throughout the process. The 33-year-old experienced a comparable injury to his right hand back in 2019, which marks the only other time in his career he has appeared on the injured list.
To clear a roster spot for Ramírez, outfielder Kahlil Watson was sent down to Triple-A Columbus.
Before going down with the injury, Ramírez — who holds numerous offensive records for the club — was hitting .239 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs across 72 games. His presence in the lineup is expected to help a team that has had difficulty generating runs during his absence.
Watson, for his part, performed admirably during his time with the big league club, batting .239 with one home run and 11 RBIs in 27 games. He capped his stint with a highlight-reel moment Tuesday night, making a leaping catch near the right-field line before colliding with the padded outfield wall to end the game.
