CLEVELAND -- José Ramírez has made a tremendous impact on not only the Guardians organization but Cleveland overall during his stellar 13-season big league career. And on Saturday, the city honored one of the best professional athletes it has seen.
The City of Cleveland, in partnership with the Guardians, recognized Ramírez on Saturday by naming a street after him. “José Ramírez Way” will connect José Ramírez Field at Clark Field with Clark Ave.
Ramírez is the first active athlete to have a street named after him in Cleveland. A ceremony to present him with new street signs was held on Saturday, which included members of the Guardians, including manager Stephen Vogt, and City of Cleveland officials, including city council president Blaine Griffin.
“That was very special,” Ramírez said of the honor through team interpreter Agustin Rivero. “You know what that means for players -- especially when you start comparing to other big names, like David Ortiz, who has a [street] named after him [in Boston].
“For me, that's kind of like a little reminder that little by little, we're accomplishing all the things that sometimes we even just dream of.”
José Ramírez Field opened in August 2023, with the backing of donations by Ramírez and the Guardians. The field is the home park to the Guardians’ RBI team, and it was two players from the program who informed Ramírez that the street was being named after him.
The field is one example demonstrating how important it is to Ramírez to give back to a community that has supported him for the past 13 seasons. He was touched by the city celebrating him once more.
“It's very important to reciprocate all the love and support that the city has given me, so it feels good to be reciprocated that way,” Ramírez said. “But I think that's what I've been trying to do my whole life, is to give back something to somebody. This city has given me so much.”
Ramírez initially signed with the Guardians as an international free agent on June 19, 2011. He signed a new seven-year contract with the franchise on April 14, 2022, a deal that runs through 2028.
Vogt said Saturday’s ceremony was a “special moment,” certainly given how Ramírez has embraced Cleveland time and time again.
“It’s just incredible to see a city embrace someone who's brought the city so much joy and done so much for the community here,” Vogt said.
On the field, Ramírez continues to solidify a resume that could earn him a place in Cooperstown one day. On Thursday, he became Cleveland’s all-time leader in extra-base hits, which is one of many franchise records he could set by the end of his career.
Ramírez entered Saturday with 285 career homers, second in franchise history to Hall of Famer Jim Thome (337). He ranks second in stolen bases (283), behind only Kenny Lofton (452). On Wednesday, he became the second player in team history to tally 3,000 career total bases, joining Earl Averill.
“It's fun to watch,” Vogt said. “It's truly a pleasure that we get to all watch him every night and take it for granted because it's impossible to cherish it as much as we do every single day. José Ramírez is one of the best players on the planet, and we get to watch him every day.
“He leads our guys. He makes people better. It's the teammate just as much as the player that really does it.”