In the first inning of a game between the Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays, Jose Ramirez stole his 30th base of the 2018 season, making him the first player since Mike Trout (30 home runs, 49 stolen bases) in 2012 to join the 30-30 club.
“I feel really happy about that,” Ramirez said through a translator. “I kind of feel the same way about both [the steals and home runs].”
Ramirez now joins Joe Carter in 1987 and Grady Sizemore in 2008 as the only players in the history of the Cleveland Indians franchise to accomplish the feat.
“Not a lot of people do it in history,” Teammate Francisco Lindor said. “It’s a special number, he’s having a great season, and I’m very happy for him.”
There have been just 61 30-30 seasons in Major League history with 24 of those coming since 2000. There has not been so much a 20-20 season in the last five years with the game shifting away from stolen bases.
Through the 2018 season, Jose Ramirez has been fantastic, hitting .282 with 37 home runs, 97 runs batted in, 96 runs scored, and 30 stolen bases in 620 plate appearances. After finishing third in the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 2017, Ramirez is a strong candidate for the prestigious award again in 2018.
“It’s not just the 30-30,” Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Everything he does, he impacts the game in so many different ways…He’s our three-hole hitter. He plays good defense, he runs the bases, he’s one of the best players in the league.”