Cleveland Guardians: Can José Ramírez keep up his MVP pace?

Will José Ramírez finally win the AL MVP In 2022?

José Ramírez has been nothing less than extraordinary for the Cleveland Guardians, and after his new contract extension, he’ll be with the organization for the long haul.

Ramírez couldn’t have started the season off any better, either, as he just won AL Player of the Month thanks to a .341/.421/.707 line, seven home runs and a baseball-best 28 RBIs. This is very encouraging to see from him because he’s had some slow starts in the past, but right now you can make an argument he’s having the best season in the entire league. He already has a WAR of 1.8 in just 95 plate appearances .

As for being the MVP, Ramírez has been knocking on the doorstep of the award since 2017. He has finished in the top three twice and was second during the shortened season in 2020. He’s won Silver Sluggers in each of these seasons as well. He’s also a three time All-Star, and it would’ve been four if not for the shortened season.

Ramírez is obviously a great hitter, but he also does everything else well. He’s stolen 155 bases in his career. He plays great defense at third base, but has spent time all over the field, particularly early in his career.  And as for his start this season, it just shows he’s still getting better, which is a scary thought for the league. At age 29, Ramírez still has so many prime years left, and he really looks poised to have the best season of his career.

So far this season, the Guardians offense has surprised many in becoming one of the best lineups in the league. The Guardians rank sixth in OPS (.719) and third in batting average (.251), and Ramírez is a massive part of the reason for the resurgence. And did I mention that he hardly ever strikes out?

Is this the year Ramírez – truly one of the best third basemen in baseball – finally wins the MVP?