The Baltimore Orioles are adding a player who won’t be ducking any smoke.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that outfielder Ramon Laureano has agreed to sign with the Orioles in free agency. Laureano, 30, will be getting a one-year deal from Baltimore worth $4 million, Rosenthal adds.
The righty-hitting Laureano was designated for assignment last season by the Cleveland Guardians after batting .143 in 31 games. But he would soon land with the Atlanta Braves and really picked things up there, hitting .296 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in a mere 67 games.
That said, Laureano is still best known for the infamous brawl that he sparked against the Houston Astros in 2020 as a member of the Oakland Athletics. After getting hit by a pitch, Laureano charged at Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron, triggering a benches-clearing melee (video here). He would eventually be suspended for six games over his role in the incident.
Laureano was also subsequently suspended by Major League Baseball for a separate incident in which he tested positive for PEDs. But Laureano has since moved past those episodes and should be able to add something of value to an O’s team that went 91-71 last season. With vast experience in both right field and center field, Laureano could end up platooning with lefty-hitting outfielders like Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, and Heston Kjerstad.
