Ramírez gives one a ride at All-Star Game
Mandy Bell
@MandyBell02His time was short in the 2021 All-Star Game, but José Ramírez made his experience count.
The Indians third baseman took advantage of the opportunity to mingle with other stars like Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernández (who he adamantly campaigned for on Twitter) during Media Day on Monday before making his third All-Star appearance on Tuesday in the American League’s 5-2 victory over the National League.
“I’m really happy,” Ramírez said, through interpreter Agustin Rivero, last week when he got the news. “That’s one of my goals every year, to try to make it to the All-Star Game, along with helping my team. … I’m thankful to the fans and to the organization for all of their support they’ve given me to take me to the All-Star Game.”
Ramírez replaced Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers at third base in the bottom of the fifth and led off the top of the sixth inning against Mets righty Taijuan Walker. After going down 0-2, Ramírez worked the count even before fouling off two pitches. He then took ball three to load the count.
On a 3-2 heater, the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Ramírez lifted a high fly ball that tried to take advantage of the Colorado altitude and creep over the right-center-field fence but came up a few feet short. Ramírez ended up flying out on a 388-foot fly ball to center fielder Chris Taylor. Only four balls all game flew further, three of which were home runs.
That ended up being Ramírez's only plate appearance before he was replaced at third base by Tampa Bay's Joey Wendle in the bottom of the seventh. It was the only time a member of the Indians took the field, as the club’s other All-Star representative, Shane Bieber, was sidelined due to a shoulder strain from which he’s currently working his way back to full strength. But Ramírez had the support of Bieber in the dugout, and Indians skipper Terry Francona was invited by AL manager Kevin Cash to help coach the team.
“I feel really fortunate that Shane’s coming with me, even though I think several of my teammates deserve to be invited,” Ramírez said last week. “But that’s the way it goes. I’m really happy to be going with him this year.”
Now that Ramírez has been a three-time All-Star, he still has one thing left to cross off his Midsummer Classic bucket list: participating in the Home Run Derby. He watched the show that Pete Alonso put on from the sideline on Monday night, but one day he wants to be the one in the spotlight. Because he had been battling through elbow pain in the weeks leading up to the Derby, he wasn’t considering participating this year. But Ramírez is still hoping to be invited at some point in the future.
“That’s something I’m still hoping for,” Ramírez said. “Hopefully, God gives me the opportunity at some point. Back in 2018, I was invited. But I think you have to prepare and your body has to be fully prepared, and right now, that’s not the case.”