The wait is over, as Oakland A’s center fielder Ramon Laureano knows how long he will be suspended for.
On Sunday, Ramon Laureano charged from first base and into the hearts of baseball fans everywhere. After jawing with Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron, his dash towards the dugout started a bench clearing incident. It was understood that Laureano would be punished, but the question was, how many games would the Oakland A’s be missing their center fielder.
We now have an answer. After Cintron was suspended for 20 games, Laureano will be suspended for just 30% of that time.
It's six games for Laureano, not five.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 11, 2020
Cintron’s suspension may actually be too lenient. He obviously escalated the situation, jawing at Laureano as he stood at first base. Cintron then reportedly said something about Laureano’s mother, and took a step forward as though he was going to throw down before hiding behind the Astros’ players.
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Laureano was not exactly innocent in this incident either. He had been hit three times in the series, and had enough after that third plunking. Astros catcher Martin Maldonado had to get between him and pitcher Humberto Castellanos before Laureano took first. His emotions were already running high when Cintron opened his mouth.
It would not be a surprise for Laureano to appeal. He does not have a history in the MLB disciplinary process, and his teammates quickly jumped to his defense, stating that he would have had to be provoked to charge the dugout. That six game suspension could easily end up as a four game ban.
Regardless of how long he is suspended, it will be a major loss for the A’s. He has produced a .263/.405/.491 batting line, hitting two doubles and three homers. His defense is equally valuable, as he has already saved five runs in center and his excellent arm has served as a deterrent this season.
The punishment has come due for Ramon Laureano and Alex Cintron. Six games is a small price to pay to become one of the most beloved players in the game.