Jose Ramirez reportedly breaks off contract talks with Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians may be facing the long-term danger of losing another star player.

The Guardians had been in contract extension talks with third baseman Jose Ramirez, but those talks have broken down, according to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. The Guardians had set a deadline of April 7 to get a deal done, but negotiations have “bogged down, if not ended.”

Ramirez has quietly developed into a full-fledged star for the Guardians. He hit .266 with 36 home runs in 2021, and finished in the top 10 of AL MVP voting for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

The situation is not desperate, as Ramirez does have a club option for 2023, but uncertainty would loom if the two sides cannot find a deal now. Based on a cryptic tweet sent by Ramirez’s agent, this news is not a total surprise. Ramirez’s camp may feel that the Guardians lowballed the third baseman.