Report: José Ramirez Signs Extension With Guardians With Full No-Trade Clause
It doesn't look like José Ramirez is going anywhere.
Long connected to the Blue Jays, infielder Ramirez has signed a five-year extension with the Cleveland Guardians, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. The reported deal is a $124 million extension that includes a full no-trade clause.
The Blue Jays' interest in Ramirez dates back to at least the 2021 trade deadline, where discussions between Toronto and Cleveland failed to gain momentum. The Ramirez fit in Toronto was natural, bringing MVP-calibre play and a needed switch-hitting bat to the top of Toronto's lineup.
Instead, the Blue Jays' main infield acquisition this winter came in the form of third basemen Matt Chapman. Toronto sent three prospects to the Athletics for the right-handed hot corner, who remains under contract for 2022 and 2023.
With no-trade insurance and a long-term deal, Ramirez will officially become the centerpiece of a Cleveland retool after the trade of Francisco Lindor last offseason. The Guardians have a strong pitching staff, a locked-up Ramirez, and most of their top prospects pushing the upper minors.
The Guardians had "been in deep conversations" with teams about trading Ramirez in recent days, per Passan, and likely would've dealt the star infielder if an extension agreement wasn't reached. Alongside the Blue Jays, the Padres showed recent interest in Ramirez.
H/T Jeff Passan
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon