OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland A's outfielder Ramón Laureano received an 80-game suspension, effective immediately, without pay after testing positive for Nandrolone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the league announced Friday.
With 54 games remaining, Laureano will miss the entirety of the regular season and be ineligible to participate in the postseason. Laureano has not announced if he will appeal the suspension.
"The A's were disappointed to learn of this suspension," the A's said in a statement. "We fully support MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and we will welcome Ramón back after the discipline has been served."
Laureano had his hot and cold streaks this season. He was batting .246 with a .760 OPS in 88 games this year. Though losing Laureano takes a huge bite out of the A's outfield depth, the acquisition of outfielder Starling Marte at the trade deadline provides some cover for the loss.
Marte served an 80-game suspension in 2017 after testing positive for Nandrolone during his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This isn't the first time the A's have dealt with a costly PED suspension to a key player. In June 2019 amid a season full of All-Star potential, pitcher Frankie Montas served an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Ostarine.
Before Montas, the only other A's major leaguer to get suspended for PEDs was pitcher Bartolo Colon in 2012.
Manny Ramirez had to serve the last half of his 100 game suspension when he decided to come out of retirement with the A's in 2012, and played 17 games at Triple-A Sacramento, but was released before playing in the majors with the A's.
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