The Cleveland Guardians dynamic duo of Third Baseman Jose Ramirez and First Baseman Josh Naylor have helped Cleveland have a strong first half of the regular season. Ramirez and Naylor are the only teammates in franchise history to both have 70 or more RBI before the MLB All-Star break. They followed in the footsteps of Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez as the only players in franchise history to do so.
Ramirez is having another great season. He is hitting .275 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI. He is tied for fifth in the league in home runs and second in the league in RBI. Naylor is hitting .248 this season with 22 home runs and 70 RBI. He is tied for seventh in the league in round-trippers and fourth in the league in RBI. Will Ramirez and Naylor be able to help propel the Cleveland Guardians to even greater heights in the second half of the 2024 season?
Naylor and Ramirez Career Summary
This @CleGuardians duo can MASH 💥 pic.twitter.com/cqxBzMIkIG
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 10, 2024
Jose Ramirez has been one of the best players in the league ever since making his Major League debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2013. He was just named to his sixth MLB All-Star Game this season and is a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He has also finished top 10 in AL MVP voting six times including a second place finish in 2020. He finished behind Jose Abreu that season. Ramirez is a career .279 hitter with 239 home runs and 823 RBI. Ramirez is set to compete in the 2024 T-Mobile Home Run Derby for the second time in his career.
Josh Naylor is having a career season and was just named to his first MLB All-Star Game. He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the San Diego Padres. He was traded to the Guardians midway through the 2020 campaign. He has been a member of the Cleveland Guardians since. Naylor is a career .266 hitter with 75 home runs and 305 RBI.
Cleveland Guardians Season Summary
Cleveland(57-34) has been great this season. They hold a commanding lead in the American League Central and have the second-best record in the league. The Guardians have been led by an above-average offense this season. They are 13th in batting average, ninth in home runs, and eighth in runs scored. The team’s offense is paced by Left Fielder Steven Kwan and Ramirez. Kwan is leading the league in batting average(.361) and eighth in the league in OPS.
Cleveland’s pitching staff has been strong this season. They are eighth in ERA, seventh in strikeouts, and eighth in opposing batting average. Starting Pitcher Logan Allen leads the team with eight wins and Tanner Bibee is top 10 in the league in strikeouts. Closer Emmanuel Clase is also second in the league in saves with 28.
Guardians Upcoming Schedule
The Guardians finish up their four-game series with the Detroit Tigers this afternoon. They finish up the first half of the regular season with a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays beginning on Friday. The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the most consistent teams in Major League Baseball over the last decade. They are seeking their sixth trip to the MLB Playoffs in the previous nine seasons.
Cleveland has had a great year, and the play of Naylor and Ramirez has been one of the contributing factors. If these two players can keep it up, the Cleveland Guardians can be a force to be reckoned with deep into the 2024 MLB Playoffs.
