Ramon Laureano has been suspended for 80 games after violating Major League Baseball's performance enhancing drug policy. This is a rough hit to the Oakland Athletics, who are in a tight race for the second American League wild card spot. Laureano has been one of their best offensive weapons this season.
Laureano has a slash line of .246/.317/.443 on the season for an OPS of .760. Laureano is also one of the better defensive outfielders in the American League and was slotted to move to right field after center fielder Starling Marte was acquired by the Athletics at the trade deadline. With Marte in center and Laureano in right, it seemed as though the A's would have one of the better defensive outfields in the MLB, but we will have to wait and see as the Athletics right fielder will now miss the remainder of this season.
The addition of Marte now looks even better than it did at the deadline as Marte has a slash line of .311/.409/.459 for an OPS of .868 which will more than make up for Laureano's absence in the lineup.
Ramon Laureano will have the opportunity to appeal the suspension, but will still likely be out for the remainder of the season, as well as the postseason. The Athletics have played 109 games so far this season and if he serves time this season he will still have to miss 27 games to start the 2022 MLB season.
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