Oakland Athletics' Ramon Laureano (22) sits dejected in the dugout in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, June 16, 2023. The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-1. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Ramón Laureano was designated for assignment on Saturday morning as the Oakland A’s — owners of the worst record in baseball — continued their roster turnover.
Laureano, in his sixth year with the team, was batting .213 with six home runs, 21 RBI and eight stolen bases in 64 games in a season that’s been interrupted by injuries. Laureano was out with a strained left groin from April 17-28 and a fractured right hand from June 22-July 14.
The A’s also reinstated right-handed pitcher Dany Jiménez from the 60-day injured list and outfielder Esteury Ruiz from the 10-day injured list.
Right-hander Tayler Scott was also optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. The A’s also reinstated infielder Kevin Smith from the 10-day injured list and optioned him to Las Vegas, outrighted infielder Tyler Wade to Las Vegas, and released catcher Manny Piña.
The A’s enter Saturday’s Bay Bridge Series game with the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland Coliseum with a record of 30-80.
Laureano, 29, was acquired from the Houston Astros on Nov. 20, 2017, for Brandon Bailey and batted .246 with 68 home runs, 205 RBI, 53 stolen bases, and 50 hit-by pitches in 471 games with the A’s.
Laureano made his Major League debut with the A’s on Aug. 3, 2018. Known for his strong arm, Laureano had 39 outfield assists over that span, fourth-most in MLB.
Laureano was part of the A’s playoff teams from 2018-2020. In Aug. 2021, though, with Oakland in postseason contention, Laureano was suspended 80 games without pay by MLB after he tested positive for an anabolic steroid.
MLB said Laureano tested positive for nandrolone, a performance-enhancing drug. Laureano at the time denied that he knowingly took the banned substance in a statement released by the players’ association and said he “was shocked” when he learned about the positive test.
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Originally published at Curtis Pashelka