CLEVELAND -- The Guardians entered Monday leading the American League in stolen bases (54), and no one better exemplifies a team that has been pushing the envelope on the basepaths than José Ramírez.
Ramírez leads the AL with 20 steals. He entered Monday on pace for 58 this season, which would put him in the ballpark of rarefied air in franchise history.
60-plus steals, Cleveland franchise history
Kenny Lofton: 75 (1996)
Kenny Lofton: 70 (1993)
Kenny Lofton: 66 (1992)
Miguel Dilone: 61 (1980)
Kenny Lofton: 60 (1994)
Ramírez recorded his 20th stolen base on May 16, in his 47th game of the season. Though he’s gone eight games without one since, the 33-year-old is well ahead of his pace from 2024 and ‘25, when he recorded 41 and 44 steals -- his two highest single-season tallies.
Ramírez noted during the Guardians’ last homestand the stolen bases are a byproduct of his offseason work. He also has not slugged as much as he’d like so far this season. Baserunning is another avenue to contribute offensively.
“I worked hard for that in the offseason,” Ramírez said on May 17 through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “I made sure my legs were in a good spot for the season and tried to run from the get-go. Since I've not been hitting the homers I want to and I’m getting more walks, I’m trying to find ways to help the team win."
Ramírez entered Monday slashing .227/.347/.399 with 11 doubles, eight home runs and 24 RBIs with 37 walks with 34 strikeouts. The Guardians obviously count on his slugging to drive them offensively, but his baserunning is a crucial piece to his stardom. (Ramírez recorded his 300th career steal on May 2.) It’s representative of his drive to win.
“I've never seen a guy just have the will to want to get to the next base,” Guardians outfield and baserunning coach JT Maguire said. “He is all about winning, so he is never complacent with just being on first. He wants to get to second, and then when he's at second base, he wants to get to third.”
Maguire and first-base and catching coach Sandy Alomar Jr. analyze an opponent's pitchers prior to each series. They hold a baserunning session with Guardians players every day and go over tips and tells to be mindful of on the basepaths, such as a pitcher's delivery time to home plate.
Those sessions allow the players to share information with one another. Maguire noted that while Ramírez is digesting the information, with his experience, he’s also able to help the Guardians’ younger players by sharing what he does and sees.
“It's like having a third coach out there,” Maguire said.
Maguire noted there are times during games where an opponent will make a pitching change, and he’ll quickly share a cue with Ramírez before his at-bat approaches. There have been moments where he’s gotten on base and, with that cue in mind, taken off to steal.
“He's able to retain that information and just pick it apart right away,” Maguire said. “It's honestly mind-blowing to me.”
Before joining the big league staff in 2023, Maguire was the Guardians' coordinator of outfield and baserunning in '22. Cleveland held offseason camps in Arizona that included baserunning sessions. Maguire would show prospects videos, majority of which were of Ramírez running hard to first base, going first to third, stealing and more. Some of those onetime prospects are now Ramírez’s teammates.
“Everything that he does has always been the mantra for our organization,” Maguire said. “So now that these guys are up here and get to play with him, he doesn't really have to say, ‘You need to do this,’ because it's been ingrained into them throughout the Minor Leagues. They see it, now they're playing with him. He just breeds the example. He exemplifies what we're all about.”
Maguire recalled Ramírez telling him he wanted to steal 80 bases after he picked up No. 20 this season. He would be the first Cleveland player to achieve that feat, but any numbers he reaches are secondary to a larger goal.
“He's putting the team in the best position to win. It’s not just a singular stat that he wants to accomplish,” Maguire said. “The stat comes along with the opportunity for us to win. It’s an unselfish accomplishment that he wants.
"We talk about it as an offense: We want to get to first. And then when we get to first, we're trying to get into scoring position. That is his whole MO when it comes to that.”