José Ramírez goes 0-for-4, makes big error in loss

Ramírez hasn’t delivered his usual first-round fantasy production this season, mostly due to the lingering impact of a mid-June hamate fracture. However, he’s still managed to reach the lofty 30-steal plateau for the third consecutive season.

The 33-year-old superstar has really struggled since returning from a broken hamate bone, slashing a woeful .214/.289/.270 with just one homer, 15 RBI and seven stolen bases in 180 plate appearances across 42 games. Angel Genao will cover third base in his absence and will bat seventh for the Guardians against Twins’ right-hander Joe Ryan.

The 26-year-old has been rock solid for the Orioles this season, hitting .260/.306/.486 with eight home runs and 31 RBI in 423 games. We should note that he has hit considerably better against lefties and has a .225/.247/.360 slash line against righties. With Encarnacion-Strand out of the lineup on Tuesday, Coby Mayo will DH and hit cleanup, while Blaze Alexander will play third base and bat seventh.

Mayo’s first homer off Joey Cantillo was his 16th off a lefty. The second off Slade Cecconi was his fifth versus a righty and first since July 27. He’s sat three of the last six times the Orioles have faced righties, but today’s performance could help with that. Luis Robert Jr.'s absence is also probably a good thing for his fantasy value.

It looks to be nothing more than a routine day off for the superstar third baseman after playing in both halves of Friday’s doubleheader and Saturday’s contest as well. Look for him to make an appearance off the bench in a key late-game situation if needed. Angel Genao will cover third base in his absence and bat sixth against Tigers’ right-hander Jackson Jobe on Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.

This is a bit of a surprise. Robert is hitting well in August, slashing .267/.321/.520 with six home runs, 10 runs scored, and 11 RBI; however, the Orioles have been getting solid production from Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, and Leody Taveras in the outfield. Their DH spot has also been filled by Coby Mayo since Christian Encarnacion-Strand has emerged as the regular third baseman. Somebody who is playing well is going to be bumped from the starting lineup now, and you have to wonder if this is a sign that the Orioles plan to pick up Robert’s $20 million team option for 2027.

The homer was a two-run blast off Seth Lugo in the fourth, J-Ram’s first since June 6. He missed time with a hamate injury, which has since sapped some of his power. It was only his 11th homer of the season, though he’s partially made up for it with 31 stolen bases. Ramírez is on pace for his third consecutive 40-steal season despite the injury. Flashing more power down the stretch will go a long way toward easing any concerns fantasy managers have entering 2027, his age-34 campaign.

Mayo got the Orioles back into the game with a three-run homer off Jeffrey Springs that made it 5-4 A’s in the fourth inning. It gives Mayo his 19th homer in his first full season, and he’s driven in 55 runs. The .218 average leaves a lot to be desired, but Mayo’s power is readily apparent.

The homer was Mayo’s 14th off a left-hander, which ties him with Matt Olson for first in the majors. He’s also first with an 1.109 OPS against southpaws (min. 100 PA), with Andrew Vaughn second at 1.041. And the homer today was projected at 446 feet, making him one of just eight players this year to exceed 440 feet four or more times (Junior Caminero and Kyle Schwarber are tops at six times apiece). Unfortunately, Mayo is still at a pretty horrible .199/.227/.272 in 225 plate appearances against righties this year, leaving his future as a regular rather murky. The power spike would be more promising if it wasn’t coming with a 32.5 percent strikeout rate. He finished at 28.6 percent as a rookie last year.

Ramírez’s final double was in the 10th inning to score a pair, and it gave Cleveland an 8-6 lead and ultimately the victory. The stolen base is the 30th of the season for the perennial MVP candidate. Because of injury and inconsistent play, he won’t be in those discussions this year, but Tuesday showed that he’s nowhere close to done being an impactful player.