CLEVELAND — José Ramírez tuned up for the All-Star Home Run Derby by homering in his first two at-bats and driving in five runs — on his bobblehead giveaway day — to power the Cleveland Guardians to a 10-0 rout of the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Ramírez hit a three-run shot off Michael Pineda (2-5) in the first inning and connected for a two-run homer in the second. It was the 19th career multi-homer game for Ramírez, who leads the AL 75 RBIs and is second in the majors behind the Mets' Pete Alonso (76 RBIs).
The four-time All-Star third baseman will show off his prodigious, compact swing in Monday's homer-hitting contest at Dodger Stadium, where he'll face Washington's Juan Soto in the opening round.
Ramírez also did it in the field against the Tigers, making two nice backhand stops before making off-balance throws to get runners.
Cal Quantrill (6-5) allowed just four hits in six scoreless innings to improve to 10-0 in 25 career starts at Progressive Field. And, Cleveland's bullpen had three more shutout innings, extending its run to 9 1/3 innings over the past three games.
Josh Naylor also homered Cleveland, which will try to complete a four-game sweep Sunday.
Ramírez helped the Guardians jump on an ineffective Pineda by connecting for his 18th homer in the first. After Steven Kwan and Amed Rosario singled, Ramírez pulled a 1-0 pitch from Pineda over the wall in right.
Cleveland added five runs in the second when Myles Straw and Rosario hit RBI doubles ahead of Ramírez's second homer — on his second swing of the game.
An unheralded free agent signee in 2009, the 5-foot-9 Ramírez has spent his career proving he belongs. It will be no different in the Derby, where he'll be among some of baseball's heavyweight swingers.
Ramírez wants to show little guys can belt with the big boys.
"We're humans," he said through a translator before the game. "We all have two arms and it's a matter of being there in the competition and enjoying it and if the results don't come out, it's just the satisfaction that you were there."
DERBY PREP
One of baseball's top switch-hitters, Ramírez said he won't decide until he gets to Los Angeles whether he'll bat right-or left-handed. Of his 19 homers, 16 have been from the left side.
Ramírez chose Double-A Akron coach Junior Betances as his pitcher in Los Angeles. Betances was his hitting coach in rookie ball.
"It feels like kind of a little reward to him for everything he helped me through my career in the minors," Ramírez said through a translator.
Betances said he's not nervous about pitching on such a big stage.
"It's the same as throwing BP," he said. "He's the guy who has to put on the show."
SECOND SWAP
Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez will start in his first All-Star Game, replacing Houston's Jose Altuve, who had to bow out after being hit with a pitch on the left knee Thursday.
Giménez has been clutch for Cleveland, batting .384 with runners in scoring position.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Guardians: Rookie OF Oscar Gonzalez (abdominal strain) did fielding drills in center as he continues to recover. Gonzalez is scheduled to go to Arizona during the All-Star break and will likely be sent on a rehab assignment before rejoining the team.
UP NEXT
Cleveland's Shane Bieber (4-5, 3.24 ERA) starts the final game before the All-Star break against Detroit's Beau Brieske (2-6, 4.16).
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