José Ramírez’s acrobatic, clutch home run highlights his incredible value as a leader who delivers when the lights are brightest. His impact on the Guardians' morale and success is undeniable at this stage of the postseason.
PERFORMANCE
José Ramírez homers, from his shins, to complete Guardians' historic ALDS comeback over White Sox
The Cleveland Guardians had to dig deep after falling behind 0-2 against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS. José Ramírez took that literally in the Guardians' biggest moment of the season. With a two-run homer from his shins, the Guardians' longtime leader lifted his team to a 2-0 win in a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday in Cleveland. They will face the Tampa Bay Rays in their second ALCS in three years, with Game 1 scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. ET. The Guardians are the first team to erase a two-game division series lead since the 2017 New York Yankees, who did it at the expense of the Guardians. That means Saturday marked the end of a charmed season for the White Sox — you could even say blessed — but few expected it to end like this. On Saturday, both teams were hitless entering the fourth inning, but Steven Kwan broke that up with a leadoff single off White Sox starter Sean Burke. Five pitches later, Ramírez broke the scoreless tie with a two-run home run at a raucous Progressive Field. Ramírez didn't just hit a homer, though. He hit a homer on a pitch that, objectively, no hitting coach would ever want a hitter to swing at, a 78-mph curveball that was destined for dirt before running into wood. Per MLB.com's Sarah Langs, Ramírez made contact with the ball 0.74 feet — or about nine inches — off the ground. That is the lowest pitch hit for a homer in a postseason game since MLB started tracking this stuff in 2008.
By Jack BaerOctober 10, 2026Yahoo Sports
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