Oakland A’s outfielder Ramon Laureano suspended 80 games for PEDs

Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano has been suspended for 80 games for PEDs.

The Oakland Athletics received a crushing blow on Friday evening, as outfielder Ramon Laureano has been suspended for the rest of the season after testing positive for Nandrolone.

While it was an 80-game suspension for Laureano, there are only 52 games left in the regular season for Oakland. Therefore, he will not be able to participate for them the rest of the way with a postseason push on the line. Oakland has cooled a bit of late, as the Athletics trail the Houston Astros by four games in the AL West race heading into their weekend series vs. the Texas Rangers.

Oakland will have to adjust to life without Laureano for the foreseeable future.

What is nandrolone?

The following is from WebMD:

"Nandrolone is a type of anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids include testosterone and lab-grown (synthetic) forms of testosterone. Doctors prescribe anabolic steroids, including nandrolone, to treat some illnesses and injuries.Some athletes — professionals as well as everyday athletes and even adolescents — misuse steroids like nandrolone to build muscle and boost performance."

MLB PED policy

The MLB performance-enhancing drug policy, agreed to by the league and union, is linked here.

Oakland A’s OF Ramon Laureano popped for PEDs, out for rest of season

On the year, Laureano was slashing .246/.317/.443 at the plate. In 88 games for the A’s, Laureano had 14 home runs and 39 runs batted in. While those numbers are not as impressive as what some of his teammates have put up this year, you cannot deny how profound of an impact it will be on the Oakland lineup. Laureano was a staple who could be counted on every single night.

For now, the A’s need to hold steady and stay alive in a tight postseason race in the American League. If the season ended today, they would be the last team getting into the postseason and would face the Boston Red Sox at Fenway in a win-or-go-home AL Wild Card game. Teams like the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners are within striking distance of the Athletics right now.

Laureano may be out for the season, but the Athletics will have time to adjust to his absence.