2008 opened with Ramirez and the Red Sox defending their crown, and with Ramirez himself stating he wanted "to play six more years and then retire as a member of the Red Sox." Ramirez played in his 2,000th game on May 26, 2008 against Seattle. On May 31, 2008, Ramirez hit his 500th home run, against Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chad Bradford at Camden Yards in the seventh inning on the first pitch. He became the 24th player in MLB history to do so. He joined two other Boston legends, Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams, to have joined the exclusive home run club as a member of the Red Sox.