There are plenty of reasons why a major league All-Star chooses to enter the home run derby, one of the jewel events of the MLB All-Star Week. The chance to prove oneself against the game's biggest sluggers is a valid reason.
That holds true for Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez, but he is also drawing motivation from a source that trumps all: his beloved mother. He told reporters via interpreter Agustin Rivero on Saturday, July 16, that he especially wants to do it for his mom.
Ramírez said his mother wanted to see him compete in the home run derby in LA. He added that there were previous invitations, but they could not happen. But, this year, fans will finally see Ramirez, who wants to do it for his family, according to Cleveland.com.
Ramirez on fire in the first half of the 2022 MLB season
The 29-year-old turned down invitations in the past, saying he had reached a mutual decision with his baseball team Cleveland to sit out the homerun derby competition in 2018 and again in 2021. But after a scorching opening half this 2022 season that has seen him carry the Guardians offense with 17 homers and a league-high 70 RBI through the first 89 games, there was no denying the third baseman his spot in the competition.
Ramírez will be up against some of the game's heavy hitters, including two-time defending derby champion Pete Alonso, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The prospect of swinging against baseball's biggest sluggers does not seem to intimidate the Dominican star in the least.
Ramirez said they are all humans, and they all have two arms, and it is a matter of being there in the competition and enjoying it. He added that if the results don't come out, it's just the satisfaction that he was there.
Ramirez is bringing along former hitting coach Junior Betances
Ramírez won't be alone when he steps to the plate in Los Angeles on Monday, July 18. He is bringing along Junior Betances, his former rookie ball hitting coach, to pitch to him on the big stage in the home run derby.
Ramírez revealed that Betances is very excited, saying that it is something that was a long time coming. Ramirez added that it feels like a little reward to Betances for everything he helped him through his career in the minors.
Betances, the hitting coach at Double-A Akron, has spent 25 seasons as a player and coach in the Cleveland Guardians organization, according to WKYC. He said the invitation to join Ramírez and his family in Los Angeles for the All-Star festivities was unexpected and that he is just looking forward to enjoying the moment.
Ramírez has drawn fourth seed Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals in the single-elimination bracket format for this year's Home Run Derby. Soto has 19 home runs and is slugging .490 in 89 games for Washington this season.
