Jose Ramirez has been the heartbeat of the Cleveland Guardians since the franchise rebranded in 2022, standing alongside Myles Garrett of the Browns and Donovan Mitchell of the Cavaliers as the most popular athletes in the city.
The six-time All-Star third baseman soaked in more cheers Monday when he matched his career high with three stolen bases and scored two runs, leading Cleveland to a 5-0 win over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.
Ramirez, who has 10 steals in 19 career games against Milwaukee, might look to increase that total Tuesday when the teams play the middle game of a three-game interleague series.
Ramirez swiped third twice Monday while victimizing Brewers ace Freddy Peralta and catcher William Contreras on all three thefts.
“It’s not only what the pitcher does, it’s the preparation before the game,” he said through an interpreter. “That’s just as important.”
Ramirez moved into third place in franchise history with 255 career steals on his latest big night, which occurred 11 days after the 32-year-old from the Dominican Republic became the 24th major-leaguer ever with 250 home runs and 250 steals.
“I don’t pay attention to those things,” Ramirez said. “I just like to find a way to win.”
Cleveland left-hander Logan Allen (1-2, 4.33 ERA) will oppose Milwaukee right-hander Quinn Priester (1-1, 5.08) on Tuesday.
Allen earned his lone victory on April 15 at Baltimore, and he has not gotten through the sixth inning in any of his seven starts this year. He will be facing the Brewers for the first time.
Priester only allowed one run in 10 innings over his first two starts but is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in four subsequent outings. He lost his only meeting with the Guardians, in his major league debut on July 17, 2023. Priester, pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates, gave up seven runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Brewers could use some good news from their rotation, given they took two more body blows upon arriving in Cleveland and had Peralta give up a season-high four runs.
Left-hander Jose Quintana was slated to pitch the series finale Wednesday, but reported upper arm soreness caused the team to push his turn back to this weekend against the Twins.
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff had been penciled in to come off the injured list to start vs. Minnesota until he was hit with a flareup of right ankle tendinitis. As a result, he was pulled from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville for at least seven days.
Woodruff is still working his way back from shoulder surgery that cost him all of last season.
“They all got together with the front office and Woody made the decision,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “It was there before he pitched (Sunday) and he tried to pitch on it. It didn’t go well in terms of how he felt.”
Help could be on the way later this month when right-hander Aaron Civale hopes to return from a strained left hamstring. Civale was hurt March 30 in his season debut against the New York Yankees, when he allowed five runs in three innings and took the loss.
–Field Level Media
