Jose Ramirez keeps putting the Cleveland Guardians on his back, and Game 4 of the American League Division Series gave them exactly the jolt they needed.
With the White Sox threatening to close out the series Thursday, Cleveland was staring at another tight spot after Chicago broke through in the third inning and grabbed a 2-1 lead. The Guardians answered right away in the next frame, and Ramirez delivered the biggest swing of the inning.
Facing White Sox reliever Jordan Hicks with one on, Ramirez saw a strike on the first pitch and then turned on a 99 mph fastball on the next offering. The result was a 378-foot homer that flipped the game and put Cleveland ahead 3-2.
The blast fit right in with the way Ramirez has been carrying himself lately. In Game 3 on Wednesday, he helped keep Cleveland alive by going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs in a 9-3 win. If the Guardians are going to keep this comeback push going against Chicago, Ramirez is going to have to stay right in the middle of it.
That’s been especially important considering his down 2025 campaign. The seven-time All-Star hit just .235/.320/.368 across 125 games, but he’s been finding better timing at the right moment.
JOSE RAMIREZ GIVES THE GUARDIANS THE LEAD WITH A 2-RUN HR 🍿😤 pic.twitter.com/O4MeSIURAw
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 9, 2026
Cleveland already gave away its home-field edge in the series by dropping the first two games at Progressive Field, but the Game 3 response changed the tone. Now the Guardians are trying to grab one more win to force a Game 5 back in Cleveland.
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Guardians Face A Costly ALDS Dilemma Beyond Just The Rotation
The Guardians ALDS picture has plenty of moving parts, and the biggest ones are not limited to who starts which game. As the series has unfolded, the club has had to think through roster balance, how much pitching it wants to carry, and how the front office and players are viewing the broader landscape around MLBPA contract talks. It is the kind of October problem that goes beyond a single matchup and forces a team to weigh short-term survival against longer-term flexibility.
Gavin Williams added another layer to that conversation with a new role in Game 4, since his first big league relief outing also marked his first time pitching out of the bullpen since college. Cleveland is trying to manage the present while leaving enough options open for what comes next, including the possibility of deeper October decisions if the run continues. And with future labor questions looming in the background, the Guardians are dealing with more than just the usual postseason chess match. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Look Dangerous Thanks To One Deadline Gamble
Clevelands offense has gone from quiet to relentless at exactly the right time, and the sudden surge has the Guardians sitting one win from the ALCS after taking Games 3 and 4 from the White Sox. Both of those victories came with nine runs on the board, a striking answer from a club that had been searching for the kind of timely thump that changes a postseason series in a hurry.
Jo Adell, brought in as a recent deadline addition, has been right in the middle of it, giving Cleveland a jolt that has changed the feel of the lineup over just two games. His arrival now looks like the kind of move that can reshape October, and the Guardians will carry that new edge into the next game with a chance to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
Jose Ramirez May Have Just Saved Cleveland At The Perfect Time
Jose Ramirez has spent much of the season searching for the version of himself Cleveland has leaned on for years, and in Game 4 of the ALDS he finally gave the Guardians a reminder of why he matters so much in October. After working through pain since hamate bone surgery and enduring a difficult offensive stretch, Ramirez kept showing signs of life across the first two playoff games and then added another jolt in a 9-5 win over the White Sox.
The biggest swing came in the fifth inning, when his two-run homer flipped the game and helped Cleveland protect its season for at least one more night. With the series now headed to a decisive Game 5 at Progressive Field, the Guardians suddenly have reason to believe Ramirez may be heating up at exactly the right time, and that changes the feel of everything around them. [Read more 🡒]