Heliot Ramos on hitting his first homer after a slow start with the Yankees

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Heliot Ramos described his first home run as a Yankee as an incredibly emotional moment that validated his hard work and sense of belonging within the team. After a slow start where he felt he was struggling to find his groove, hitting this crucial shot against the Red Sox allowed him to feel like he truly belonged in the big leagues and could contribute effectively to the organization's success. The experience was not just about personal achievement but about supporting his teammates and ensuring that no one felt like they were throwing away their opportunities or plays in the outfield. The reaction from his teammates in the dugout was overwhelmingly positive, with everyone welcoming him back with high energy and support after he had been working diligently every day in the gym and batting cages to regain his form. Ramos emphasized that the team knew exactly how much he needed this breakthrough moment, creating an atmosphere where they all pulled on the same rope toward a common goal of winning the division and making the playoffs. He expressed deep gratitude for having such a supportive environment where everyone has each other's backs, which he believes is the foundation of their recent offensive success. Ramos explained that during the at-bat itself, he was not consciously thinking about hitting a home run or even just getting a hit; instead, his focus was entirely on trusting himself and waiting for a good pitch to drive. This mindset shift from trying to force a result to simply executing his plan allowed him to succeed naturally, leading to a moment where he felt so excited that he almost did a cartwheel around third base before blacking out from the intensity of the celebration. The significance of this hit was amplified by the magnitude of the game against their rivals, making it a defining moment that reinforced his confidence and connection with the team. Looking ahead, Ramos believes that the key to their recent offensive breakthrough lies in the unity and communication among the players rather than any single individual's performance. He noted that at this stage in the season, every player is pulling in the same direction, which has helped them come through in critical games like the one against the Red Sox. His ultimate goal remains clear: to continue improving his hitting, maintain the strong bond with his teammates, and work together to secure a playoff spot for the Yankees.

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With all that's going on with you, how how great was that for you to get back home run? >> Uh it was super super uh obviously emotional. I'm an emotional guy. I'm always showing what I got in my heart. So, uh it really feels good to be to produce for this team, to be a part of this team, to like get a get things done and uh and just like feel like like I have my my teammates' back. >> Aaron Boone said you almost did a He thought you did a cartwheel or you were you were so excited you were going to do a cartwheel around third base. What was the reception you got? You had a pretty good reception in the dugout when you got there. >> everybody was super uh welcoming. Obviously, everybody was hyped for me. Uh they know I needed this. They know how hard I've been I've been working every day just in the gym, just in the cages uh trying to figure it out, trying to get my my groove back. And uh everybody was super happy. I love how like the team the teammates got my back and I have their back for sure. >> You said you needed this. Just what what could that do for you the rest of the season? >> I mean, honestly, this baseball thing happens. So, uh I just think it's like knowing that I belong here, knowing that I like I got here I'm here and uh uh I know I can do it in the big stage, you know? Uh I can help this team. Uh and that's all I want to show. I know the type of player that I can be. And I just want to keep getting good at bats, just keep showing it. Uh honestly, today uh I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit, just trying to get a good get a bat. I wasn't thinking about getting a homer. I wasn't thinking about like getting a hit. I was just thinking about like getting a good pitch to hit and uh obviously trusting myself. >> What was your first experience of Yankees versus Red Sox like? >> I loved it. I loved it, man. Uh yeah, it's super fun. Uh I grew up watching the Red Sox like David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and all those guys playing against uh obviously the best organization in the world. So, uh it's super hyped. Uh I love the environment. I love how the fans show up for us every day. >> What did What did it mean getting your first home run as a Yankee? You said belonging here >> [snorts] >> in a game that helped the Yankees take their season series with the rival Red >> Uh like I said, it means a lot to me. Uh obviously, I want to have my teammates' back and uh I want to feel like that. I want to feel like I I'm not throwing away our bats. I'm not throwing away obviously plays in the outfield or whatever the situation requires. I really feel really really really feel grateful to be here and just have my teammates back like I said before. >> Did it add an extra layer to get the big hit today in you know, a game of this magnitude? >> Uh I don't know. I just feel like we have each other's backs, and that's all that matters, of course. If I didn't do it, somebody else was going to do it, so I know I have my teammates I have my teammates in my back, and and I have and they have me, too. >> What do you think you'll remember most about that trip around the bases? >> Uh I don't know if I remember anything. I blacked out. >> [laughter] >> Honestly, blacked out, but as soon as I hit it, I was like, "Oh my god, about time. I needed that." Yeah. >> What do you think has allowed the offense to break through the last couple days and there were a few games like this last week, too. >> Man, I think our offense is really good. You know what I'm saying? I think we have a really good offense. Baseball is going to baseball, you know, so at the end of the day, I feel like it's just about like us being together, us putting together our bats together, having a good plan, going up there, and like obviously communicate with each other. And I think that was the main thing that like helped us just like come through this past couple of games. Uh Uh I feel like everybody uh at this point in the season, everybody's pulling or I yeah, pulling to the for the like the same rope to the same like way, so right now what we want to do is win the division and just get in the playoffs and obviously get the get things done.