Jose Ramirez Participates In First Dominican Winter League Game, Guardians News

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez went 0-2 with two walks in his first Dominican Winter League Game of the season.

The MLB season is over, but there's still high-level baseball being played around the globe. This comes in the form of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) that is currently taking place.

A number of players from the Cleveland Guardians organization are participating in this league, including the face of the franchise Jose Ramirez.

May 7, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) advances to third on a single by Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Josh Bell (not pictured) during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

J-Ram made his season debut on Tuesday evening as he went 0-for-2 at the plate, but he walked twice and even came around to score a run early in the game. That single run would turn out to be a crucial moment in the game as it helped the Leones del Escogido defeat the Estrellas 4-2.

Leones is a new team for Ramirez even though he's played in the league before. Ramirez was traded to the team for Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. before the season started.

Ramirez was playing against Jhonkensy Noel who is the Guardians' 28th-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Noel blasted a 403-foot solo home run in this game which is another fun note for Guardians fans.

This is Ramirez's first time playing in the LIDOM since 2015 when he was a routine player in the league. Jose revealed in an interview that the Guardians organization gave him permission to play in the Dominican Republic for one month during MLB's offseason. 

It's great to see Ramirez get to play in his home country, which is a place he's given back to many times during his MLB career. It's more than just a game for him.