Guardians provide injury update on Jose Ramirez's hamate bone

CLEVELAND —  Jose Ramirez rescued the Guardians in the American League Division Series with a tremendous three-game run to lift Cleveland to the ALCS, but with their playoff journey coming to an end all the focus turns to an injury that hamstrung him for the second half of the season. Ramirez underwent hamate bone surgery in mid-June and returned to the lineup July 22, but he was struggling to be as productive while playing through the left wrist/hand issue. It can often be difficult for hitters to fully return to form in the aftermath of a hamate bone surgery. His season numbers had already been a bit down from his career averages, but after the procedure he hit just .229 with a .598 OPS over the final 53 games, a stretch that included only two home runs, as his power seemed to be sapped.  Jose Ramirez injury update It was painfully clear Ramirez was playing while hurt and the procedure was having a negative impact. It was also unlikely he’d do further damage, and the Guardians appreciated anything the star third baseman might be able to give them. A one-handed Ramirez is still a better sight in the everyday lineup than calling someone off the bench, especially as he insisted to play every day. “I mean, obviously, it took a toll on him,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who also reiterated his commitment to Cleveland while some rumors about the Seattle Mariners had stated to run rampant. “He was out there giving us everything he had. He wasn’t playing at 100 percent, but that never changed his demeanor or the way he went about his business. And I think that just speaks to who he is as a person and a baseball player. “It was a super impressive performance by Josey this year.”  Jose Ramirez playoff stats The Guardians then found themselves down 2-0 in the ALDS to the Chicago White Sox and facing three consecutive elimination games, primarily because of a lineup that, without Ramirez at his best, struggled to do much of anything.  Ramirez then single-handedly took over the series, in the process giving the White Sox a new round of nightmares for the winter. In Games 3, 4 and 5 , he went 5-for-14 (.417) with two home runs, including to go-ahead, series-winning shot in Game 5 to send the White Sox home.  He drove in seven runs in those three games, scored five, drew two walks and added a triple, a double and a stolen base. For those three days, he was close to unstoppable.  Ramirez was still productive in the ALCS, hitting .304 with a .385 on-base percentage, but he didn’t log an extra-base hit, and the Guardians mostly returned to struggling at the plate in a 4-2 series loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.  Ramirez recently turned 34 years old, with the Guardians hoping he can remain at his top level for as long as possible. They do, at least, expect him to be fully healthy by the time training camp rolls around, though it's uncertain when that will actually occur considering the expected MLB lockout coming on Dec. 1. Regardless of MLB's timeline, there's a period in which the Guardians simply want their best player to rest after grinding through the second half of the season and the playoffs with the hamate bone issue. “That’s our expectation based upon all the medical direction we’ve gotten, that he’ll be 100 percent by next spring,” president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “Obviously, it’s been a really long season, and playing an additional three weeks adds more stress and toll to the body, especially the way Jose played over the last three weeks.”  The Beacon Journal sports department can be reached at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.