Jose Ramirez Carted Off Field for Indians After Suffering Possible Knee Injury
March 24, 2019
Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez left Sunday's spring training game with an apparent knee injury.
Per MLB.com's Scott Merkin, Ramirez hit a foul ball that struck him just below his left knee. Ramirez fell to the ground in pain.
MLB.com's Mandy Bell added a cart was brought out to take Ramirez off the field.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported X-rays did not show a broken bone.
Ramirez has proved to be durable early in his career, averaging 154 games over the past three seasons.
The 26-year-old has been one of the best players in baseball in recent years, finishing third in the American League Most Valuable Player voting in each of the last two seasons. Meanwhile, he has a pair of All-Star selections and two Silver Sluggers to recognize his strong performances.
Ramirez is coming off a season in which he hit .270/.387/.552 with 39 home runs, 38 doubles, four triples and 105 RBI.
This spring can't end soon enough for the Indians, who are looking to capture their fourth straight American League Central title in 2019.
Losing Ramirez for any amount of time would leave a big hole in the Indians' lineup. Shortstop Francisco Lindor and second baseman Jason Kipnis have already been ruled out for the start of the regular season with calf injuries.
Third base is not a position of great depth for Cleveland, especially after the offseason trade of Yandy Diaz. Max Moroff could fill in at the hot corner should Ramirez miss time.
As long as the rotation stays healthy, though, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Co. have the ability to shut down opposing lineups and keep the team in games. However, the pitching staff will carry a bigger burden if Ramirez is out of action for a significant period of time.