The Oakland A’s could be without Ramon Laureano for their Tuesday game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., if, as expected, Major League Baseball announces a suspension for the center fielder.
Laureano sparked a brawl with the Houston Astros on Sunday when he charged the Astros bench. Laureano had been hit by a pitch for the second time in the game — and third time in the three-game series — and then began jawing with the Astros’ bench, particularly Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron, after reaching first base.
After Cintron motioned Laureano to make a move, and also reportedly said derogatory things about the player’s mother, Laureano ran toward the Houston dugout, a decision he now regrets.
“I don’t take what (Cintron said) very lightly, and I don’t think anybody would,” Laureano said. “It’s just a tough situation. I reacted that way unfortunately during very hard times when it comes to social distancing during the pandemic. I look like a not very smart guy.
He added, “When you’re very emotional, especially about your mother, it’s just tough.”
Laureano started the Monday game against the Angels and went 0-for-3 with two walks in Oakland’s 10-9 loss to the Angels, as MLB had not announced a ruling on disciplinary action. But that could happen before the Tuesday contest.
Laureano has started all 17 of the A’s games this season, and he is hitting .263/.405/.491 with three homers and 10 RBIs. He has reached base at least once in all but two games.
Mike Fiers will make the start on the mound for Oakland. He is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA in three starts, including an outing against the Angels on July 26 when he gave up four runs on seven hits in four innings.
Fiers is 6-4 with a 5.18 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) against the Angels, and there are Los Angeles hitters who have hit Fiers well over his career. Mike Trout is batting .387 (12-for-31) with five homers and four doubles against him. David Fletcher is 7-for-11, and Shohei Ohtani is 6-for-11.
Right-hander Dylan Bundy (2-1, 2.08 ERA) will start for Los Angeles, coming off the best performance by an Angels starter so far this season.
Last Thursday against the Seattle Mariners, Bundy threw a complete game, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out 10 and did not walk a batter in a 6-1 victory.
Bundy, who is 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA in six career games (five starts) vs. Oakland, hopes to see his teammate, rookie right fielder Jo Adell, show some of the promise that had him ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Since being called up to make his major league debut Aug. 4, Adell is hitting just .211 (4-for-19) with 11 strikeouts. That includes a two-hit game Monday against the A’s, his first multi-hit performance.
“It’s gonna have to be me just settling in,” Adell said. “Figuring out my groove and understanding that it’s a game and things happen, you make mistakes. Just go out and do you. I think I’m not there yet. I’m ready to get there, I’m on my way to get to getting there.
“But it’s one of those things where I just have to go out, relax and just do my thing and not really worry about the result.”
–Field Level Media
