Manny Ramirez

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ramirez arrived in Cleveland as an 18-year-old prodigy, having led George Washington High School to three straight division titles. His professional debut included a memorable moment at Yankee Stadium where he hit his first two home runs against the New York Yankees; on one play, an automatic double bouncing into the seats fooled him into thinking it was a home run until his teammates ribbed him while he returned to second base. By 1995, he had become an All-Star and won his first Silver Slugger Award after batting .308 with 31 home runs. His power surge in 1998 saw him bat .294 with 45 homers and 145 RBIs, finishing sixth in AL MVP voting. That year, he batted .357 with two home runs during the ALDS against the Red Sox. In 1999, his hot streak included a third-highest single-season RBI total at the All-Star break (96), and he broke Hal Trosky's franchise record on September 30 with his 164th RBI, finishing the year with 165.

In Their Own Story

The 1999 season stands as the pinnacle of Ramirez's Cleveland tenure. He began April hitting .337 with seven home runs and batted .364 in May, reaching the All-Star break with 25 homers and 96 RBIs. Despite missing 15 games due to injury, he finished the year batting .308 overall but posted an eye-popping .383 average against left-handed pitchers and .377 with runners on base. His RBI record-breaking moment came late in September when a three-run shot gave him 164 RBIs, surpassing Hal Trosky's 1936 mark of 162. Although he struggled in the postseason that year, going 1-for-18 as the Indians lost to Boston in five games, his regular-season dominance was undeniable. Entering 2000, Ramirez battled a hamstring injury but still managed to play 118 games, recording a career-high .351 batting average alongside 38 home runs and 122 RBIs, helping the Indians secure a 90–72 record.

Reader's Guide

Manny Ramirez was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 1991 MLB draft. After signing a $250,000 bonus, he dominated the minor leagues, earning Appalachian League MVP honors and being named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America in 1993. His major league career began on September 2, 1993, against the Minnesota Twins. He spent his first eight seasons with the franchise, becoming a nine-time Silver Slugger winner during that span. Notable achievements include setting the Indians' single-season RBI record (165 in 1999), hitting 45 home runs in 1998, and achieving a career-high .351 batting average in 2000. He helped lead the team to five consecutive playoff berths from 1995 through 1999, appearing in two World Series (1995 and 1997). Ramirez departed Cleveland after the 2000 season to sign with the Boston Red Sox.

Did You Know?

• Ramirez's first MLB hit was an automatic double that bounced into the left-field seats, causing him to run thinking he had hit a home run before returning to second base.
• In 1999, Ramirez batted .383 against left-handed pitchers and .377 with runners in scoring position.
• He set the Indians' single-season RBI record on September 30, 1999, finishing with 165 RBIs, the highest total since Jimmie Foxx in 1938.
• As a high school senior in 1991, Ramirez hit for a .650 batting average with 14 home runs in just 22 games.
• Ramirez was suspended 50 games in 2009 for taking human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a women's fertility drug often taken after steroids.