If José Ramírez became one of the best hitters in major league baseball, it was because he had a certain pressure to perform. The Cleveland Guardians shared a pretty special story about their star player on Wednesday.
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According to team analysts at the Bally Sports network, the 30-year-old athlete played in the Dominican Republic under the threat of a machete which was behind the plate. Baseball fans in this country are known for their passion, but sometimes it went too far.
“At 13, José Ramírez played in a betting league with adults to bring money back to his family. In some circumstances, regulars bet on players to make a profit. Whether [les joueurs] weren’t producing, they were being chased home by punters with machetes and guns,” the Guardians confirmed via a Twitter post.
Beyond the physical threats, the players were also targeted by violent comments from fans and several attempts at intimidation.
This season, Ramírez has struck from the safe in all seven of Cleveland’s games. In 2022, he won a fourth career Silver Stick, including hitting an American League-high 44 doubles.