Why he won’t reach 30 homers
We know that Ramirez is certainly capable of belting at least 30 home runs in a season, but we must recognize that this display of power is not the norm based on his track record.
Last season was only the second time in his career that Ramirez reached that mark and the first since 2008. In the seven years in between, his season high was 24, while he averaged only about 18 home runs during that stretch.
More from Red Sox News
- Red Sox Nation deserves far more from Fenway Sports Group
- Bizarre trade deadline comes back to haunt Red Sox after Nathan Eovaldi departure
- Red Sox’ Moneyball-style offseason continues with Corey Kluber contract
- Rich Hill’s Red Sox departure puts him within striking distance of unique MLB record
- Red Sox offseason takes another nasty hit with Nathan Eovaldi departure
We also have to consider that last season’s total may have been a bit of a fluke. Ramirez went into the All-Star break with only eight homers before catching fire in the second half. From August 27 to September 22, Ramirez belted 13 home runs, accounting for nearly half of his season total in a span of just over three weeks. His bat would eventually cool off, but can we really count on him to reach that scorching level again?
Ramirez also produced his first and only three-home run game on July 20, which is an accomplishment that he’s unlikely to replicate considering only a handful of hitters in franchise history have ever done it more than once.
For Ramirez to reach 30 home runs he’ll need to stay in the lineup long enough to give himself a shot, which hasn’t always been a given for him. The 33-year old has played in less than 130 games in four of the last six seasons and avoiding a trip to the disabled list gets increasingly more difficult as players age.