José Ramírez hammers 2 home runs, career-high 7 RBIs in first 2 at-bats off the IL

Torrey Hart
·Yahoo Sports Contributor
Updated

In the midst of a neck-and-neck race for the second wild card spot with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Cleveland Indians activated slugger José Ramírez from the injured list Tuesday, and he wasted no time making his presence known.

Ramírez, batting sixth Tuesday night in Chicago against the White Sox, stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded for this first at-bat since breaking his hamate bone and undergoing surgery last month. He promptly launched a dinger off pitcher Carson Fulmer.

But wait — that wasn’t all. In his following at-bat in the top of the third inning with two men on base, Ramírez pounded his second homer of the day, this time as a righty off Hector Santiago.

Through two at-bats, the 2018 MVP candidate reached a career-high in RBIs. This marks the fourth time in his career he’s homered from both sides of the plate in one game, according to MLB.com’s Mandy Bell.

José Ramírez picks up where he left off in August

Ramírez had a slow start to the season, but had begun to get hot in the weeks before he went on the IL.

He slashed .320/.340/.680 with nine homers and 25 RBIs in July, and was hitting .321/.372/.705 with six homers and 20 RBIs in August leading up to the injury.

Ramírez was placed on the 10-day IL on Aug. 25 with a fractured hamate bone in his right hand. He underwent surgery the following day.

Hamate bone fractures can keep a hitter out for an extended period, ranging from weeks to months (Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis is out for the season with the same injury, sustained Sept. 17). Ramírez, however, was initially expected to return in early October – already a quick turnaround – assuming the Indians made it that far.

But he took his first batting practice since the injury on Sept. 19, felt good, and the rest is now history.

Cleveland Indians Jose Ramirez celebrates in the dugout after his three-run home run off Chicago White Sox's Hector Santiago during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Cleveland's Jose Ramirez celebrates in the dugout after his three-run home run off Chicago White Sox's Hector Santiago during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

More from Yahoo Sports: