One of the all-time greats.
Fittingly, on the record-setting steal, Jose Ramirez didn't need to slide.
The Cleveland Guardians' superstar is one of the smartest player in the big leagues. That allowed him to get a mega jump on Twins' pitcher Joe Ryan. He was halfway to second before the pitch even went home, and so Ramirez stole second standing up.
It was steal No. 275 of Ramirez's career. He has now joined the 275 steal, 275 home run club.
Ramirez is the first third baseman to ever reach those combined marks in MLB history.
Overall, 17 players have put up those marks.
Only two of them have been switch-hitters, Ramirez and Carlos Beltran.
MORE: Mariners' Eugenio Suarez trade rectifies a $15 million mistake
Ramirez is one of five guys to do it within their first 13 seasons, along with Beltran, Andre Dawson, Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonds.
He has 276 home runs right now to go with the newly updated 275 steals.
It's an astounding place for Ramirez to be. In his first 332 MLB games spread across four seasons, he hit 19 total homers.
Since then, his season totals have gone 29, 39, 23, 17 (shortened 2020), 36, 29, 24, 39 and the 21 so far this year.
MORE: Yankees staged the most persistent comeback in MLB history
Ramirez is a historically great ballplayer. He may not be quite as recognized outside of Cleveland as someone from a big market might be.
But this is an all-time great, someone who will have a serious Hall of Fame case.
And now, he's done something remarkable that no third baseman has ever done, ever. That's special.
MORE MLB NEWS:
- Blue Jays' Shane Bieber trade takes big injury risk
- Steven Kwan shows kindness on the most stressful day of his MLB career
- Twins' Carlos Correa is shock end to $200 million era
- Angels' new trade pickup is not a fan of California
- Mariners trade away a pitcher named Jeter
- Red Sox phenom Roman Anthony makes MLB history not done since Elmer Valo in 1940
Category: Baseball
