José Ramírez has big moment for Guardians with home run on pitch just above home plate

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez followed one of the worst seasons of his 14-year major league career, with a postseason power surge.

The All-Star third baseman helped propel Cleveland into its third AL Championship Series since 2016 with an improbable two-run homer in the fourth inning of the Guardians' 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of thei4 AL Division Series.

“With the way he performed the last two, you could tell he’s just like, ‘I got you.’ He put us on his back one more time,” manager Stephen Vogt said.

Ramírez batted .235 during the regular season, the second-lowest average of his career, and missed 30 games in June and July after surgery to repair the broken hamate bone in his left hand.

Even after returning, Ramírez was still having problems with the hand and sat out some games due to inflammation.

During the last two weeks of the regular season, Ramírez's bat was beginning to show signs of life. He had multi-hit games in five of his last nine and was 12 for 38.

After going 0 for 6 with three strikeouts the first two games of the series, Ramírez went 5 for 12 with two homers and seven RBIs in the last three. He had two-run homers in the last two games and made a series of key defensive plays in the two games at Chicago.

“It’s just like we always talk about. He’s one swing away from getting it going and I think every ball he put in play was hard the last three games and that’s just who he is,” Vogt said. “You don’t ever count him out. You don’t ever worry about him. He’s going to show up when we need him.”

Ramírez's defense wasn't needed on Saturday night. Guardians pitchers struck out 21 strikeouts, the most in a nine-inning postseason game. He didn't record a put out on the nine balls the White Sox put in play.

Even though the home run pitch was below the strike zone, it was just what Ramírez was looking for.

“We’ve faced him a couple of times. So we know he has a really good curveball. I was able to get my legs and get a good contact,” Ramírez said through an interpreter.

Players in the Guardians dugout thought Ramírez would at least have a double, but the ball just got over the wall near the right-field line. His sixth career postseason home run tied Albert Belle for third-most in franchise history.

Ramírez homered on a pitch by Sean Burke 0.74 feet above ground, the lowest pitch hit for a postseason home run since tracking started in 2008, according to MLB Statcast.

“Obviously, it came down to one pitch to Ramirez. He’s a really good player. He’s probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day," Burke said. “But it’s frustrating.”

Ramírez admitted his focus may have been heightened.

“These games you want to do your best because it’s do or die. You don’t win, you go home, and this team really wants to do the right things, and for me, that’s the thing,” he said.

Ramírez hopes to keep his offense going in the AL Championship Series against Tampa Bay, which opens Monday.

Ramírez went 3 for 20 in five games against the Rays this season. He has a career .252 average against the Reya with eight home runs and 28 RBIs.

“José is José. We all love him," Cleveland starter Gavin Williams said. "He always has that one moment all the time. We know what he’s going to do.”

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Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez celebrates with teammates in the locker room after Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez celebrates after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez celebrates after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez hits a home run in the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez, center, celebrates after Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago White Sox faded from the postseason with hardly any offense.

After winning the first two games of their best-of-five AL Division Series against Cleveland, Chicago struck out 21 times and managed just three hits in a 2-0 defeat Saturday night that advanced the Guardians to an AL Championship Series matchup against Tampa Bay.

“We wanted it so bad, it hurts,” Chicago catcher Kyle Teel said, shaking his head.

José Ramírez hit a two-run homer off Sean Burke in the fourth inning, and the White Sox became the fourth team in major league history to lose a Division Series after winning the first two games on the road.

Chicago's 21 strikeouts were the most in a nine-inning postseason game and the most in any regular or postseason game since 1900.

Munetaka Murakami and Andrew Benintendi struck out four times each, and Teel and Chase Meidroth three times apiece.

“My intent was to win this game, win this series and fly to Tampa,” White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “It's obviously disappointing. Losing this one, there is a lot to learn from it."

Chicago become the first team to each the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons. The White Sox swept Houston in the wild card round for their first postseason series win since their 2005 World Series championship.

Ramírez homered on a a knuckle-curve from Burke that was 0.74 feet above the ground.

“He made the right pitch in the right spot," Teel said. "It was a ball in the dirt and he just hit it out.”

The pitch Ramírez homered on was the the lowest hit for a home run in a postseason game since MLB Statcast started tracking in 2008.

“Obviously, it came down to one pitch and one mistake I made today,” Baker said. “He's a really good player. He's probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day. But it's frustrating.”

Chicago outscored Cleveland 7-3 in the first two games and out-hit the Guardians 12-7. Over the final three games, Cleveland had a 20-8 advantage in runs and out-hit the White Sox 27-17.

"We’re all bummed and sad, knowing we probably should have got the job done,” Chicago shortstop Colton Montgomery said. “They dug deep and did what they did. That’s a good baseball team and they scrapped it out.”

Chicago batters struck out a Division Series record 75 times and hit .194 with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 18 in the last two games. The White Sox loaded the bases in the sixth inning before Erik Sabrowski relieved Williams and struck out Murakami.

“The last few games, there were some opportunities,” Meidroth said. “It stings because this is a family, a brotherhood we have here. We wanted to win for each other and for our fans. Man, there is no better place to play than Chicago and we wanted to keep going.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke reacts after a home run by Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez during the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami walks back to the dugout after striking out in the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox center fielder Brenton Doyle reacts after striking out in the third inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth dives for a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter during the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) and catcher Kyle Teel (8) watch from the dugout during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)