Guardians star José Ramírez fractures hamate, headed to IL

The Cleveland Guardians' victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday was overshadowed by a significant injury to their franchise cornerstone, as star third baseman José Ramírez fractured a bone in his left hand and is expected to miss several weeks.

Ramírez sustained the injury, a fracture of the hamate bone, while taking a swing during his at-bat in the fifth inning of the Guardians' 3-1 win at Progressive Field. After undergoing imaging tests, manager Stephen Vogt confirmed the diagnosis postgame. Vogt said Ramírez attempted to stay in the game, grabbing his glove to try to play defense, but was unable to squeeze it.

The 33-year-old Ramírez, a seven-time All-Star and the face of the franchise, is almost certain to be placed on the injured list. He is expected to undergo surgery in the coming days. Recovery from such an injury typically takes between four and eight weeks, though Ramírez has a history of a quicker-than-expected return; he missed only one month after fracturing the hamate bone in his right hand in 2019, the only IL stint of his 14-year career.

This season, Ramírez is batting .239 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs through 72 games. His durability has been a hallmark,...