Oakland Athletics: Ramon Laureano could help hurt his former team
As the Oakland Athletics try to battle for the American League West and continue to do well in the Wild Card, a former member of the team they’re chasing in the AL West is leading the way
It was a moment that can often define a career. Bo Jackson ripped a throw to the plate to nail Harold Reynolds. Ichiro Suzuki nailed Terrence Long at third. For Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano, his iconic moment came against the Los Angeles Angels as he made a difficult catch, then fired a shot to first base for a double play from deep center field.
Like Jackson and Ichiro before him, Laureano is not just that singular moment, having tremendous success all around. Last evening, as the Oakland Athletics fight for a chance to upend the defending World Series champions in the American League West, Laureano launched a pair of home runs to lead the A’s to an 8-4 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Laureano led off the game for the A’s in the bottom of the 1st inning with a home run and then followed that up with another home run in the 6th inning. Over 29 games, he’s now slashing .309/.387/.568 with 5 home runs and 4 stolen bases for the Oakland Athletics, a key contributor in their late-season run.
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Originally drafted in the 16th round by the Houston Astros out of Northeast Oklahoma A&M in 2014, Laureano struggled in his first two seasons to show his impressive offensive skills, but in 2016, he broke out, hitting .319/.428/.528 with 15 home runs and 43 stolen bases.
He struggled in AA with his contact with Corpus Christi, hitting .227, but he still flashed the power and speed, with 11 home runs and 24 stolen bases. With no room in the outfield for Laureano, the Astros traded Laureano to the Oakland Athletics this offseason for minor league swingman Brandon Bailey, who pitched to a 2.80 ERA between high-A and AA this year.
Laureano still has some concerns with his walk and strikeout rate, and he’s walked well in his pro debut (9.68%), but his strikeout rate is higher than would be preferred for a leadoff hitter (27.96%).
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The Oakland Athletics may not catch the Houston Astros for the AL West title, but they’ve definitely won the offseason trade for Laureano, and that could have long-term benefits for the organization.