Ramirez began 1999 on a hot streak, hitting .337 with 7 home runs in the month of April. Ramirez's hot hitting continued all season, as he batted .364 in May and reached the All-Star break with 25 home runs and 96 RBIs. At the time, it was the third highest single season total for RBI by the All-Star Break in MLB history, behind only Hank Greenberg (103 in 1935) and Juan González (101 in 1998). On September 30, 1999, Ramirez broke the Indians' single-season RBI record (previously 162 by Hal Trosky in 1936) by hitting a 3-run home run, giving Ramirez 164. Despite missing 15 games, he finished 1999 with 165 RBIs, the highest total by any player since Jimmie Foxx (1938), and batted an eye popping .383 against left handed pitchers. He also batted .383 with runners in scoring position, and .377 with men on base. That season, he finished third in the voting for the AL MVP award. However, he struggled in the 1999 postseason, going 1-for-18 as the Indians were eliminated by the Boston Red Sox in 5 games in the 1999 American League Division Series.