Report: José Ramírez finalizing massive extension to finish his career with Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians reportedly  found a way to salvage their offseason on Saturday. And it involves one of the best players to ever suit up in Cleveland. 

Early this morning, baseball reporter Hector Gomez reported that Ramírez and the Guardians had agreed to a massive 7-year, $175 million extension that would carry through the 2032 season.

The Athletic’s Zack Mesiel later confirmed the report by saying that the Guardians and Ramírez were working on finalizing a contract, though he reported the deal would pay Ramírez $106 million across four seasons, with $70 million of it being deferred. 

Gomez’s reporting of the deal likely already accounts for the year’s on Ramírez’s current contract, as he’s set to make $21 million in 2026, $23 million in 2027 and $25 million in 2028. If you add those up and tack it onto the deal that Mesiel is reporting, it adds up to seven years and $175 million.

It seems like the contract will go through the 2032 season, which will be the season where he turns 40. 

Regardless, the Guardians’ front office inking Ramírez to a contract that will carry him throughout his career is a huge win, and provides them with some much-needed positive momentum after a largely quiet offseason. 

It looks like José Ramírez is going to be a Guardian for the rest of his career 

With the extension, Ramírez (who was due to be a free agent after the 2028 season) was already that aforementioned team-friendly seven-year, $141 million extension that he signed before the 2022 season.

He’s been one of the most productive players in baseball over that stretch, and has served as the tangible heartbeat for the Guardians’ lineup in that time. 

He’s been an MVP finalist and All-Star in all four of the seasons since he signed that extension, and has also won three Silver Sluggers. He’s stolen 20+ bases in every season despite not having blazing speed (he stole a career-high 44 last season) and has also added 36+ doubles in every season and 24+ home runs. 

And he’s done all that with very little protection at the top of the lineup. While Steven Kwan has blossomed into an All-Star at the top of the lineup and Kyle Manzardo is beginning to find his power groove, Ramírez has constantly had to do more with less. 

That theme has played out this offseason, as the Guardians’ front office added heavily to the bullpen but left the holes in their lineup largely unattended. 

Ramírez wasn’t shy about wanting to stay in Cleveland long-term in the lead-up to his initial extension and it seems like that’s the case again here, as Mesiel reported that Ramírez and his team expressed interest in initiating contract extension talks with the Guardians last season. 

It looks like that ended up being the case, and now Cleveland fans know they’re going to get to cheer for Ramírez for the rest of his career.