Superstar 3B Ramírez near extension to stay with Guardians through 2032 (source)
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CLEVELAND -- Over his 13-year career in Cleveland, José Ramírez has emerged as the face of the Guardians franchise and an all-time icon in Cleveland sports. Now, the 33-year-old is close to a contract extension that could keep him in Northeast Ohio for the rest of his career.
Ramírez is nearing an extension with the Guardians that would span through his age-39 season, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Saturday. Ramírez, who has three years and $69 million left on the seven-year extension he signed in 2022, would have what amounts to a seven-year, $175 contract that runs through 2032.
The team has not confirmed the deal.
Ramírez would receive a full no-trade clause and annual salaries of $25 million from 2026-32, with $10 million deferred each season to be paid starting in 2036, according to a source. His award bonuses would be doubled; among them, he would receive $500,000 for winning Most Valuable Player, $300,000 for landing second or third and $150,000 for a fourth- or fifth-place finish.
And he is to receive certain other perks, including travel on a private jet if he attends the All-Star Game and an extra hotel room on road trips.
Ramírez has long expressed his appreciation for Cleveland, which he’s made home in the years after he joined the Guardians organization in 2009 as an international signing out of the Dominican Republic. And since he made his MLB debut on Sept. 1, 2013, he’s transformed from a steady utility player into one of the best players in MLB.
Not only has Ramírez solidified himself as the engine that makes the Guardians go, but he’s become one of the best players in franchise history -- and in the storied annals of Cleveland sports. His résumé gets stronger every year and is befitting of a spot in Cooperstown one day.
“Anytime Hosey’s on the field, I love watching him play,” Guardians president Chris Antonetti told MLB.com this past summer. “In the batter's box, when he's on the bases, defensively. It's every facet.
“He is really a special player, and someone I definitely don't take for granted. It's been a privilege and honor to get to watch him play for the last 12 Major League seasons and then a handful of seasons before that in the Minor Leagues. He's a joy to watch.”
In 13 seasons, Ramírez has earned seven All-Star Game nods, which is tied for second most in club history with Hall of Famers Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby, and Bob Lemon, and Ken Keltner. Bob Feller ranks first with eight.
A six-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Ramírez has slashed .279/.353/.504 in his career while logging 398 doubles, 285 home runs, 949 RBIs and 287 stolen bases. He’s on the cusp of becoming only the ninth player in MLB history to join the prestigious 300-homer, 300-steals club, and he could do so early in the 2026 season.
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This past season, in his continued march up the all-time franchise leaderboards, Ramírez surpassed Earl Averill for first in extra-base hits (726) in 2025, and usurped Albert Belle for the franchise’s most multi-homer games (27). He surpassed Hall of Famer Jim Thome for second in franchise history in RBIs last season (984), and he is closing in on Averill (1,084).
Ramírez ranks second in home runs to Thome (337) and in stolen bases behind Kenny Lofton (452). While he has work to do in both categories, given the length of his new deal, Ramírez figures to make a push for first place in each of those categories by the time his career is all said and done.
By that point, Ramírez could stand as the most decorated player in franchise history. What we know is he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.