CLEVELAND -- Saturday already was shaping up to be a brutal day for the Guardians on the health front. It only managed to get worse as the afternoon went along.
Superstar third baseman José Ramírez, who has played in each of the Guardians’ 72 games this season, exited Saturday’s 3-1 win against the Tigers at Progressive Field entering the top of the sixth inning with an apparent injury. His departure came after outfielders Angel Martínez and Chase DeLauter had already exited the game due to an injury.
The Guardians announced postgame that Ramírez had a fracture in his left hamate and was heading to the IL.
Martínez, Ramírez and DeLauter were the Guardians’ Nos. 1-3 hitters on Saturday. Ramírez went 1-for-3 with a double and one run scored before his exit.
Ramírez, of course, is the most indispensable player on Cleveland’s entire roster and the most crucial to its success. His durability is at the center of his superstardom, and even in a season in which his production has been lower than his elite standard, we know as well as any of the Guardians’ opponents what he’s capable of.
Ramírez has also been heating up. The 33-year-old entered Saturday slashing .293/.326/.512 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBIs over 10 games in June. He slashed .228/.341/.397 with 14 doubles and eight home runs in 61 games through May.
Ramírez’s departure from Saturday’s game, coupled with those of DeLauter (right rib cage contusion) and Martínez (left foot contusion) earlier in the game, forced the Guardians to deploy a unique defensive configuration due to their short bench. Only Kyle Manzardo and catcher Patrick Bailey were available.
Manzardo entered in Ramírez’s spot in the lineup to play first base. That pushed Rhys Hoskins from first base to left field, which he last played on Sept. 28, 2018. Steven Kwan (who entered for Martínez in left field) moved to center, while Daniel Schneemann moved from center to third.