Guardians' star third baseman Ramírez exited Sunday's game early due to left shoulder inflammation.

José Ramírez's importance to the Cleveland Guardians' success and their plans for 2026 is undeniable. Thus, alarms undoubtedly sounded when the 33-year-old veteran left today's game against the Athletics at Goodyear Ballpark prematurely.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Carter Kieboom replaced Ramírez. Manager Stephen Vogt noted after the Guardians' 12-6 win over the Athletics that Ramírez had bumped his left shoulder while running the bases.

"José bumped his shoulder sliding into third base," Vogt said. "There's some inflammation in the left shoulder."

Vogt described it as a "day-to-day" situation after today's game, with further updates expected tomorrow. Ramírez had one hit in two at-bats with one strikeout in the game; the potentially injurious slide occurred in the second inning when Ramírez hit a double and then stole third base.

There are seven Cactus League exhibition games and two exhibition games remaining before Opening Day on March 26 in Seattle. The team will be cautious and prioritize Ramírez's health.

If Ramírez needs to miss time, the Guardians' third base options include Daniel Schneemann and Gabriel Arias. Schneemann sprained his ankle on Friday and is expected to return this week. Kieboom is in camp as a non-roster invitee.

Arias is expected to begin the season as Cleveland's starting shortstop, but he has experience at third base. The projected Opening Day starting second baseman Brayan Rocchio is a natural shortstop; if needed, the team can make some positional adjustments.