The Guardians have released outfielder Ramon Laureano, as indicated by his transactions tracker on MLB.com. Laureano is now a free agent and can seek opportunities with any team.
This move was anticipated after the Guardians designated Laureano for assignment last week. His performance has been declining over the past few years, reaching a particularly low point this season. The 29-year-old has a batting line of .143/.265/.229 in 2024 and a strikeout rate of 38.6 percent.
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Additionally, Laureano’s salary has increased through arbitration, reaching $5.15 million this year. Any team acquiring him through waivers or trade would have been responsible for this salary, which likely deterred interest given his current performance. With over five years of service time, Laureano could refuse an outright assignment while retaining his salary.
As a free agent, Laureano may attract interest from teams willing to take a low-cost chance on him. Since the Guardians released him, they are responsible for his remaining salary, and any new team would only need to pay the prorated league minimum, which would offset what the Guardians owe.
Laureano was a solid player for the Athletics from 2018 to 2021, with 49 home runs and a batting line of .263/.335/.465 over 1,257 plate appearances, resulting in a wRC+ of 119. He also stole 34 bases and received strong defensive ratings, contributing 8.6 wins above replacement over 313 games, according to FanGraphs.
However, his performance has declined since receiving an 80-game PED suspension late in the 2021 season. In 2022, he posted a .211/.287/.376 line with a wRC+ of 95, and his performance dipped further in 2023. The Athletics designated him for assignment in August last year, and the Guardians claimed him.
Laureano showed signs of improvement with the Guardians, hitting .243/.342/.382 with a wRC+ of 106 late in the season, prompting Cleveland to tender him a $5.15 million contract. However, his performance dropped significantly this year, leading to his current free-agent status.
Now available at a minimal cost, a team might sign Laureano to see if he can perform well enough to be traded for a prospect. If not, he could likely secure a minor-league deal.
