Ramon Laureano (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
A suspension is looming for A’s outfielder Ramon Laureano, but he’s not done firing shots in the Astros direction
Laureano charged at Houston Astros assistant Alex Cintron after he allegedly insulted the 26-year-old’s mother, which is a big no-no in Latin culture. Cintron has expressed some regret for those actions, but refuted any report that he insulted Laureano’s family.
Laureano, however, is insistent about his series of events, and understandably so. While he wishes he didn’t charge at the Astros dugout, in the heat of the moment he deemed it tough to avoid.
Despite the animosity many feel around the league towards Houston for their 2017 sign-stealing, Laureano’s actions have nothing to do with that
“I regret charging him because he’s a loser,” Laureano told ESPN. “[A suspension] is understandable, but I hope it’s not that many games…At the end of the day, I’m here to win a World Series with the Oakland Athletics — this wonderful group of guys. I don’t want to be a distraction. Obviously, I am right now. Hey, I’ve already moved on. I’m facing Julio Teheran today, and that’s all I’m thinking right now.”
Laureano thanked Astros catcher Dustin Garneau, who tackled him before he could get to the Houston dugout. By doing so, Laureano surely avoided further injury and a suspension that would dwarf the punishment he’s about to receive.
Laureano’s slash line of 278/.406/.519 is impressive, and his outfield arm is one of the best in baseball. If forced to miss significant time, it’ll be a major blow for an A’s team that finds itself at the top of the AL West by an astounding five games this early in the season.
The A’s-Astros divisional rivalry is ever-present, but it was taken to a new level on Sunday.