MLB
After jumping out to the best start of his career with the struggling Orioles, Ramon Laureano hit the trade block. Needing a right-handed bat, Laureano headed to San Diego in one of the largest deals of the trade deadline.
First and foremost, Ramon Laureano had his best season since his sophomore campaign back in 2019. Seven seasons ago. Laureano played for just $4 million in 2025 and will rejoin the Padres in 2026 thanks to a $6.5 million club option. Few would’ve expected the 31-year-old to bat .281 and slug above .500 with 24 home runs.
But Laureano proved otherwise. He finished top-15 in the MLB in wRC+, while also landing in the top-20 in SLG and wOBA. By almost any metric possible, he was the most productive hitter on the Padres. Within a team full of big-name players, Laureano was quietly a better offensive player than all of them.
Beginning the Year in Baltimore
Perhaps it was the lifting of expectations that lifted Laureano off the ground. He spent his 2024 season playing for two separate playoff teams in the Cleveland Guardians and Atlanta Braves. Moving across leagues— especially from one playoff chase to another— cannot be easy on an everyday player. As soon as the Orioles signed Laureano, he took off from his typical league-average production.
Although the Orioles suffered one of the most disappointing seasons in recent years, future Padres Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn stood out as bright spots. Laureano, in particular, was the more phenomenal story of the two. He absolutely took off in May, posting an insane 192 wRC+. The common expectation that this was just a random stretch of dominance from a mediocre player disappeared quickly. Laureano hit above .300 in June, and then crushed five homers in July en route to an .867 first-half OPS. Contending teams quickly turned their heads towards Laureano, as a legit contributor on even the best of rosters.
Adding Firepower to San Diego
Laureano was dealt to San Diego for a package of prospects, with Boston Bateman being the most notable of the bunch. Ryan O’Hearn was also included in the deal, as the Padres aimed to add both depth and slug at the same time. Laureano became the everyday left fielder, as Gavin Sheets shifted to splitting DH duties with Ryan O’Hearn.
Laureano played marginally worse in San Diego than he did in Baltimore, but still put together an OPS over .800. Most impactful were his nine home runs with San Diego, which tended to come in the big moments. In Seattle, Laureano drilled a grand slam off of Luis Castillo. In Los Angeles, he golfed a curveball from Clayton Kershaw off the foul pole in left. During the heat of the moment, Laureano was as advertised.
RAMON LAUREANO GRAND SLAM.
THE. MAN. CANT. STOP. HITTING.
pic.twitter.com/WwfPBu6Jmu
— Zach Bollinger (@zachbollinger18) August 27, 2025
Bringing More Than Just the Bat
When the Padres acquired Laureano, the hope was for a strong offensive upgrade and basic competency in the outfield. Due to the hardworking and competitive nature of Laureano’s personality, the Padres received more than that.
Despite landing in the bottom 3% of all fielders in Outs Above Average, Laureano brought a new standard of hustle to left field. Laureano committed just one error during his time with the Padres and robbed three home runs. The pinnacle of the robberies came against the Dodgers, as he took a grand slam away from Teoscar Hernandez.
HOLY CRAP RAMÓN LAUREANO BRINGS BACK A GRAND SLAM. pic.twitter.com/0EIIK2JSK2
— Zach Bollinger (@zachbollinger18) August 24, 2025
Conclusion
Although Laureano spent just two months with the Padres, he brought the impact that San Diego hoped for. For a team that finished 28th in home runs as a team, getting a boost from Laureano was critical. Also, it’s worth noting that Laureano brought a much-needed competitive attitude to the Padres locker room.
In all likelihood, the Padres will be bringing Laureano back on his player option that was mentioned earlier. With how he performed offensively across the larger umbrella of 2025, he could be in consideration to move into the top third of the lineup. We should get a better idea of where Laureano is when Spring Training rolls around and baseball activities resume. Regardless, it would be a good idea for the Padres to make the most of a season in which Laureano will be playing for merely $6.5 million.
A 17-year-old San Diego native, Willy Warren is a baseball fan at heart who created High Leverage Baseball, a public baseball media account covering around-the-league statistical analysis and breakdowns on X. Willy is set to attend the Cronkite School of Journalism in the fall of 2026 at Arizona State University, where he’ll pursue a major in sports journalism.
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