The new Jose Ramirez contract will keep him with the Guardians until he's 40.
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez spoke to the media on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at Progressive Field about his new contract extension. Ramirez gives a thumbs as he leaves the press conference.
At his Thursday press conference, Ramirez confirmed that was the case. He had been thinking about it for a long time. “For me, it’s important to be here,” Ramírez said through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “This is where my family is and where I want them to be. And most importantly, where I look forward to completing my career. So for me, it’s important to stay here, the commitment to continue to compete and win a World Series.”The Guardians said talks about a new contract for Ramirez began almost a year ago. Ramirez urged his agent Rafa Nieves to find a way to extend his contract, which ran through the end of the 2028 season. Nieves and the Guardians went to work, knowing it’s rare to add years to a contract when a player has three years left on his deal. Furthermore, there is some risk because Ramirez is 33. Long-term deals for players 36 and older tend not to be financially wise as their skills decline with age. Ramirez’s new deal will take him through his 40th birthday. Then again, there is only one Jose Ramirez, perhaps the greatest player in the history of Cleveland baseball. He’s a seven-time All-Star. Only Bob Feller has been picked for more All-Star teams. He’s also been on seven playoff teams, the most in Cleveland baseball history.new contract is worth $175 million for seven seasons – $25 million annually. He has agreed to defer $10 million each season for a total of $70 million deferred. Those payments begin in 2036.Guardians owner Paul Dolan and team president Chris Antonetti were the driving force on Cleveland’s end to reach a deal. As things came close, a meeting was set up with Ramirez, Nieves , Antonetti, Dolan and minority owner David Blitzer. The Guardians wanted Ramirez to realize how much they respect him, and he appreciated his time with both owners. I asked Ramirez about taking a contract that is well below the market, especially compared to other players. “Whoever earns those contracts congratulations to them, kudos,” he said through his interpreter. “But for me it’s just what I can control and what matters to me. And for me it’s my desire. My desire is to be here.” Ramirez doesn’t care what other players make. He keeps score on the diamond, not on the listing of baseball’s highest paid players.“The deal brings his total career earnings to $272 million. It also comes with a statue in CF, his number retired, a first ballot HOF entrance almost guaranteed, a baseball field and also a street named after him in Cleveland. “Jose marches to the beat of his own drum, and I respect that. He will laugh at the critics all the way to the bank on his way to Cooperstown.”It’s doubtful we’ll ever see a baseball star the magnitude of Ramirez give such a “hometown discount” to a small market franchise in order to remain with that team. Most players are wired to win on game day and pay day. It’s their right, and this is a business. Sometimes, teams make long-term commitments to a player, then trade him a few years later.Ramirez signed with Cleveland in 2009 for $50,000 – basically the minimum bonus for players coming out of the Dominican Republic. Cleveland was his only offer to play pro baseball. “I want to highlight that this is the organization that gave me the opportunity in professional baseball,” Ramirez said . “I know there’s a lot of discussion about the nature of this contract and why this contract happened. But for me it’s important to be here. This is where my family is and where I want to be.” Ramirez first mentioned wanting to spend his entire career in Cleveland in the spring of 2017 when he signed a four-year, $26 million extension. Cleveland was pleased to hear that, but he was only 24 years old at the time. A lot could change. Only nothing did, at least when it came to Ramirez and his love for Cleveland. He talked about how the fans have always cheered for him “through the good and bad.” The Guardians have had the same ownership and the same front office leadership with Antonetti and GM Mark Chernoff during his entire career. Ramirez first came to the majors 13 years ago. He’s played for two managers – Stephen Vogt and Terry Francona. The stability means a lot. So does the chance to be the greatest player in Cleveland baseball history. His goal now is to win his first Gold Glove award. The third baseman has been“Most importantly, this is where I look forward to completing my career,” he said. “ team has given me that opportunity… That’s the reason I decided to complete my career here in Cleveland.”I'm grateful to my readers who have read me for decades. I'm the author of more than 30 books, a winner of the National Headliner Award as the nation's best sports columnist in 2020 and best sports writer in...
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