CHICAGO, IL — It was none other than Guardians superstar and 2025 American League LatinoMVP Award winner José Ramírez turning around Game 4 of the ALDS Thursday night in Chicago to send their best of five series against the White Sox back to Cleveland for a winner-take-all Game 5 this Saturday.
“One of the best players in franchise history,” according to some Guardians in this year’s clubhouse while catcher Austin Hedges described him as “this team’s Michael Jordan.”
With their season on the line at Rate Field, trailing 2-1 to Chicago in this ALDS, Ramírez, 34, of Baní, Dominican Republic, had a part in each inning Cleveland would pile on runs—the visiting frame of the fifth with three and six an inning later—the offensive output in a pivotal 9-5 Game 4 Guardians win.
JOSÉ RAMÍREZ!
GUARDIANS JUMP IN FRONT! pic.twitter.com/setZbLqz5I
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2026
For Ramírez, one of the best in the game, a 2-5 night with three RBI and two runs scored on a go-ahead fifth inning two-run homer and RBI single in the sixth.
“I always go with the same mindset, try to get good at-bats, try to help the team win,” said Ramírez through interpreter Agustin Rivero of his fifth career postseason HR. “I don’t try to get homers or anything like that. Luckily, we got the result. I had a particular conversation with (Patrick) Messick before that; I told him I’m going to get this turned around for you, and I was able to execute it. It was really special. It was great energy out there, and very special to share this with the guys.”
“It was José Ramírez being José Ramírez in the playoffs,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt added. “Bring in a fastball, (Liam) Hicks with a great fastball, and José got to it. Big moment for him, big moment for us and he doesn’t show a lot of emotion, but he was pretty excited tonight.”
GUARDS. BALL. pic.twitter.com/bT0adRRoJw
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2026
Cleveland’s face of the franchise, beloved across the city, battled through an injury-ridden season, fracturing his left hamate bone on June 13th and returning 36 days later on July 22nd.
He manufactured just 12 homers with 53 RBI while posting a .688 OPS over 125 games.
Impressive numbers in MLB across a 162 game set, but not on any level of Ramírez’s as the future Cooperstown Hall of Famer himself said it throughout this summer and fall.
And over his first two games in this series against the White Sox, 3-0 and 4-3 losses, respectively, the seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger went hitless (0-6).
Batting chaos.#GuardsBall | #StandGuard pic.twitter.com/cd7UFCDDaG
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 9, 2026
Then just when Cleveland’s backs were thrown against the wall, he responded—2-4 with 2 RBI and a walk Wednesday in a 9-3 Game 3 win along with his 2-5 performance a night later.
Looking Ahead to Game 5 of ALDS
It’s win or go home. Winner-take-all.
And it all goes down this Saturday night, October 10th at Progressive Field (8:08pm ET first pitch), with the White Sox and Guardians fighting for a trip to the American League Championship Series where the winner of Game 5 will meet the Rays.
Said Ramírez: “It’s going to be a crazy energy and we’re looking forward to it.”
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