A’s Ramón Laureano heating up at the right time for a potential trade
If the Athletics’ ownership had any interest in bankrolling a competitive team this season, the uptick in Ramón Laureano’s offensive production in June would have been cause for celebration.
The grim reality is that Laureano’s play hasn’t given A’s fans reason to be excited about his future with the organization. Instead, fans know Laureano is punching his ticket out of town.
With a two-homer performance in an 8-6 loss to the Mariners on Thursday, Laureano finished June with a .244 average and .715 OPS. His stat line is hardly impressive compared to his career numbers, but after missing the first 28 games of the season serving the remainder of an 80-game suspension following a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug last August, Laureano finally looks like the reliable player he’s been for much of his A’s tenure.
That’s good news for contending teams in need of outfield help, because there’s little doubt Laureano will be among the next players to be traded.
After the organization dealt fan favorites Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Chris Bassitt and Sean Manaea to teams with visions of successful 2022 seasons before Opening Day, Laureano and Oakland ace Frankie Montas are next in line.
With a cannon for an arm and the ability to play all three outfield positions at a high level, Laureano is the type of right-handed hitter who could make plenty of teams better this summer. His .328 on-base percentage and .436 slugging percentage aren’t eye-popping, but with a career .829 OPS against left-handed pitchers and a .937 mark against southpaws this season, he could be an excellent third or fourth outfielder on a team with a roster built to play deep into October.
It shouldn’t have to be like this for A’s fans.
Any time a veteran player performs well, there’s immediate speculation surrounding a trade. It’s a demoralizing reality, but one created by John Fisher’s approach to owning a baseball team.
It’s why for the next month, Laureano, Montas, catcher Sean Murphy and a handful of others will continuously be named in trade rumors. An Oakland team on pace for more than 100 losses doesn’t have much to look forward to in the present, but if certain players are seeking a more competitive atmosphere, improved individual performance can lead to a trade that will afford them a much more promising future elsewhere.