Previous interview helps explain Jose Ramirez's mentality amid extension with Guardians

"I want to be happy, not have a lot of money," Ramirez said, as translated from Spanish. "I feel comfortable in Cleveland. My daughters were born here, and my family is doing well. Maybe having $200 million somewhere else sounds better, but it doesn’t give me this comfort."

This rationale explains why Ramirez, who could get well over $200M on the open market, has proved he's loyal to the city of Cleveland, despite not always having the best team around him. 

Could Jose Ramirez’s loyalty to Guardians keep him from winning a World Series?

Since becoming an everyday player for the Guardians in 2016 at 23 years old, Ramirez began his reign as one of the best third basemen in baseball. Ramirez would finish third in the MVP voting and win the Silver Slugger award in 2017 and 2018, then finish in the top 10 for the MVP voting in six straight seasons (2020-25) and add four more Silver Sluggers (six total) to his resume. 

Despite his loyalty to the organization, the Guardians haven't fielded the best team around their franchise player, making the World Series just once in his 13 seasons — losing in 2016 to the Chicago Cubs — and performing poorly in the playoffs since (6-17). 

The Guardians are entering 2026 with virtually the same roster they had in 2025, with some slight tweaks. After barely winning the American League Central over the Detroit Tigers, the Guardians' path to winning their second straight division title may end up being the same as others in their division, as the Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins have not done much to move the needle. 

More than likely, Ramirez will have an MVP-type season again, but the Guardians' inability to add this offseason leaves them to do so at the trade deadline, which isn't what they're known to do. At last season's deadline, they were mostly sellers, trading RHP Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays for RHP Khal Stephen.