The Guardians announced that they’ve claimed veteran outfielder Ramon Laureano off outright waivers from the A’s. He was designated for assignment by Oakland over the weekend.
As a reminder, Major League Baseball did away with revocable August trade waivers five years ago. Laureano was claimed off (irrevocable) outright waivers. He’s now under Guardians club control through the 2025 season, and Cleveland will pick up the remainder of this year’s $3.55MM salary. The Guards currently have MLB’s tenth-worst record, indicating that the eight non-A’s clubs ahead of them — Royals, Rockies, White Sox, Cardinals, Nats, Tigers, Mets, Pirates — all passed on putting in a claim.
Just two years ago, the notion of Laureano being placed on waivers would’ve seemed difficult to fathom. From 2018-21, the now-29-year-old Laureano was a core piece in Oakland, batting a combined .263/.335/.465 (119 wRC+) and coupling that production with strong baserunning, respectable glovework in center and plus defense in right field.
Laureano, however, was hit with an 80-game PED suspension midway through the ’21 campaign and has never regained his footing. He was suspended for the final couple months of play in 2021, and that ban lingered into the 2022 season. He’s since missed time with oblique, groin and hamstring strains, as well as a fractured hand. Since returning from that PED suspension, Laureano has four IL trips and a collective .212/.285/.371 batting line in 158 games/629 plate appearances — effectively one full season’s worth of games.
The A’s have surely had varying levels of trade interest in Laureano over the past couple years, but they’ve understandably opted against selling low on a player whose value was once considerable. Unfortunately for the club, they’ll now lose Laureano for nothing more than the $1.07MM in salary relief they’ll gain with Cleveland claiming the outfielder and his contract. It’s a sub-par outcome that’ll draw ire from fans and criticism from pundits — particularly given the lackluster results of the current rebuilding effort. Laureano would likely have been non-tendered rather than given a raise this winter, so once a trade failed to materialize prior to the deadline, the A’s apparently shifted gear and simply looked to recoup some of salary obligation.
The final two months of the season will serve as an audition for Laureano in Cleveland, where outfield production is a near-annual concern. Guardians outfielders are batting a combined .248/.310/.342 this season, and the resulting 81 wRC+ (i.e. 19% worse than the MLB-average hitter) places the Cleveland outfield 29th of all 30 teams, leading only the last-place Royals. Steven Kwan is the only Guardians outfielder with even average offensive output at the plate this season, so the chance to buy low on Laureano for a cost of just over $1MM is a sensible roll of the dice for the team.
Laureano will at the very least provide a right-handed-hitting complement to lefty-swinging Will Brennan in right field, but the production (or lack thereof) from Brennan and center fielder Myles Straw is glaring enough that there ought to be an opportunity for Laureano to claim a larger role if the change of scenery proves beneficial.
That’s a weird way of spelling Texas Rangers.
Wow it must be tough being an athletic supporter … at least a lot of room for both to spread out at the park.
Can or will he hit?
Random veterans to make appearances on the Guardians, 2023 edition
•Daniel Norris
•Noah Syndergaard
•Kole Calhoun
•Ramon Laureano
•Touki
•Zunino and Bell
This is an all time list
Let’s not forget Cleveland legends Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, Josh Donaldson, Carlos Gonzalez, and Hanley Ramirez.
wow, didn’t know those guys were all still active.
Didn’t know I said active
OP said 2023
“Some of these guys are past their prime”
“Some of these guys never had a prime”
“This guy is dead”
“So cross him off”
totally forgot Donaldson ever played for them
Good memory.
lucas0622: Hey, don’t belittle Touki. He happens to be the Sox’ #2 SP behind Cease
And it’s only August too. If this season ends up going down the tubes, I’m all in favor of adding to this list because it’s already looking pretty impressive.
The 2023 Guardians could be immaculate grid immortality when we look back on this season.
Keith Hernandez suited up for Cleveland, too.
Will this cause them to send Fry down?
In retrospect, I guess Tena is a better candidate to be sent down.
Fry is going on the IL tomorrow so they can call Laureano up
This makes sense because they need a right-handed OF more than anything. It’s great that they got one, but Laureano hasn’t hit in two years. Maybe the change of scenery will make a difference.
I’m betting they see him as a good fielding fourth outfielder and a compliment to Calhoun’s left handed bat.
Norcal.. I wonder if maybe Laureano is taking Calhoun’s roster spot.
He HAS continued to hit LHP though…
It’s amazing to see the numbers after the PEDs go away.
I remember how the A’s asking price for Laureano to the Marlins a couple of years ago was ridiculously high. And now he’s had for nothing, and if the Marlins weren’t behind the Guardians in the waiver wire, they would’ve very likely claimed him.
I believe Houston would have tried to sign him if he went unclaimed. They have been looking for LH hitting OF’s all season.
Is he a switch hitter? I’ve only ever seen him bat right handed
That’s surprising how much the A’s overvalued him considering the way they give players away even in trades, always opting for the quantity over quality return haul. For as bad as Vegas has been over the last 2-3 years, their prospect pool is surprisingly weak.
Oakland is the triple a team for Atlanta so this guy must be really bad if a deal with Atlanta wasn’t work out.
Not really over valueing him. Up until 2021 and the suspension he was a productive player, although with injury history. He’s not a free agent until after 2025, this is all about their cheap owner saving a million dollars
It’s a good opportunity for Ramon Laureano.
He certainly was given all the chances with the A’s after his infamous PEDs suspension but then he got hurt like some PEDs users do. It just hasn’t worked out favorably until now that is…
Could have been perfect for Phillies
While I don’t disagree, the Phils wouldn’t have gotten him since the Guardians’ waiver position is much higher.
This is a big opportunity for Laureano and he just may help the Guards this year. A possible playoff team that wants him. What else could he want at this stage of his career.
@ Champs64
“What else could he want at this stage of his career.”
A new source of pharmaceutical assistance?
Beyond the on-field implications of adding a guy who can hit left-handed pitching to a team that mostly can’t, I remember Laureano singlehandedly charging the Astros’ bench a few years back during a fight.
I think the Guardians might as well just promote Valera and Amir Garrett from AAA and lean into their new identity as a team that wins every fight and just under half of their games.
Slapshot basically.
Most of Laureano‘s income is from his helicopter tour company. The baseball salary is basically money for food and shoes
This guy is a disgrace to baseball. Oh, and he sucks even when he’s on roids
But what an amazing arm!
Has the league oriented ordering changed? @steve Adams
mlb.com/glossary/transactions/outright-waivers#
Claiming priority is based on league and reverse winning percentage. So, if a player is placed on outright waivers by an American League club, the 14 other AL clubs will have priority over the 15 National League clubs, with top priority going to the AL club with the weakest record, followed by the AL club with the second-weakest record, and so on. If a club has already previously claimed a player on outright waivers in a given year, the club’s claiming priority will be moved to last among the 30 clubs.
Claiming priority is based on league and reverse winning percentage. So, if a player is placed on outright waivers by an American League club, the 14 other AL clubs will have priority over the 15 National League clubs, with top priority going to the AL club with the weakest record, followed by the AL club with the second-weakest record, and so on. If a club has already previously claimed a player on outright waivers in a given year, the club’s claiming priority will be moved to last among the 30 clubs.
mlb.com/glossary/transactions/outright-waivers#
Cleveland ranks last in baseball vs LHP by wRC+. Last year they ranked 27th. Over the past three years they rank 28th.
Clevelands right fielders have combined to be 63% below average this year…37 wRC+.
It is a problem that the organization has refused to address.
Laureano, even though putting up poor overall offensive numbers, has a wRC+ of 122 this year…123 for his career.
He also is an elite defender in right field.
With Straw, Kwan, and a Laureano/Brennan platoon, Cleveland would have the best defensive outfield in baseball.
Clevelands front office gave up on this season at the deadline. Giving Laureano a long look the rest of this season makes a lot of sense.