Ramón Laureano should be an All-Star this season

The planets are aligning for Ramón Laureano to make his first All-Star Game this summer.

In a division stacked with center field talent, you can make an argument Laureano isn’t even the best at his position in the AL West. Texas Rangers rookie Adolis Garcia is having a superb season and of course there’s that Mike Trout guy with the Los Angeles Angels.

But Trout (calf strain) and Minnesota Twins star Byron Buxton (hip) are both expected to miss the next few weeks with their respective injuries. With the midsummer classic scheduled for July 13 — it could take those two guys out of the running.

If Laureano stays healthy, he should be on the American League All-Star roster along with Garcia.

Laureano stole the show again in Friday’s 8-4 A’s win over the Angels. He turned in another ridiculous leaping catch at the wall to rob Anthony Rendon of a game-tying home run in a clutch spot.

Laureano, the human highlight reel 🤯 pic.twitter.com/nh4yRfMgWl

— A’s on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) May 22, 2021

Laureano also went 4-for-4 with this no-doubt dinger. The way he reacted to it, I thought he hit a routine F7.

Lazor Ramon solo shot. Number 11 on the year. pic.twitter.com/wEOUz1ZENj

— Justin Groc (@jgroc) May 22, 2021

Ramón is probably the A’s best all-around hitter but Garcia’s putting up a pretty crazy stat line this season. Here they are for comparison:

Garcia: .291/.331/.582, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 8 BB, 41 K, 5 SB

Ramón: .256/.330/.525, 11 HR, 21 RBI, 14 BB, 49 K, 8 SB

While Garcia plays fine defense and also has showed off his arm this season, Laureano is on another level in the field. Maybe that will be enough to get him a starting nod, and he can become the second A’s center fielder in franchise history to start the midsummer classic.

The only one in A’s history? Reggie Jackson in 1969. Nice.