A White Sox fan-favorite could be making a brief return to the field in 2026.
According to MLB insider Francys Romero, former shortstop Alexei Ramirez is part of Team Cuba’s preliminary roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Ramirez, 44, spent eight of his nine Major League seasons on the South Side. During that span, the “Cuban Missle” hit .273/.310/.399 while winning two Silver Slugger awards at shortstop and finishing second to Evan Longoria in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2008. He still holds the major league record for most grand slams in a rookie season with four.
After the 2015 season, Ramirez signed with the Padres and was traded to the Rays during what would be his final season in the majors. He went on to play one more professional season for Mexico in 2018, slashing .303/.359/.418, before formally announcing his retirement in 2021.
As Romero pointed out in his post, Ramirez was part of the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 at age 24. If he remains on Cuba’s roster, he would be celebrating the 20th anniversary in unprecedented fashion.
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