Why Athletics Trading Shea Langeliers Is Terrible Idea

The trade deadline is less than two weeks away, which means there's lots of buzz on contenders looking to pry away talent from teams that are currently out of contention.

With the A's falling farther and farther out of the AL West division, they could be one of the teams that looks to sell off some talent to either add to their farm system or look to land some team needs in hopes of contending in the coming seasons.

Jul 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez (57) talks with Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) before being pulled during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The A's have already traded their veteran starter, Aaron Civale. Civale was designated for assignment during the All-Star break, and the team was able to land a minor league arm in exchange for him.

Although that was a small move, there have been talks about the A's being involved in bigger trades this summer.

Shea Langeliers Is Generating Trade Interest

Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; American League all stars Shea Langeliers (left to right) and Cody Bellinger and Mike Trout during batting practice before the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's no shocker that the A's All-Star catcher is attracting interest from contenders; as we all know, having elite catchers is hard to come by.

The backstop has 23 home runs this season and holds an OPS of .830, and has been one of the best offensive catchers in all of baseball. It's also tough to swipe bags on Langeliers, as he is in the 89th percentile for catching runners stealing and is in the 91st percentile for pop time.

Shea Langeliers crushed this ball 444 feet 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dem65bKFjM
— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) July 22, 2026

Langeliers is also a sneaky good baserunner. His 81st percentile speed makes him one of the fastest catchers as well. Having a five-tool catcher is certainly rare, and the team could expect a massive return for him, one similar to the Mason Miller trade from last season.

It's also worth noting that Langeliers has team control through the 2028 season, which will increase his value since he will have a few more seasons before he hits the open market.

Trading Langeliers Would Be a Huge Setback

Jun 13, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) scores during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just weeks ago, the A's were the standalone leaders in the AL West, and many expected them to buy some pitching at the deadline to improve their chances of winning the division. After a rough stretch, the team sits pretty far back in the division, leading many to think they will try to sell and look to contend next season.

However, trading your superstar catcher comes with significant issues. The A's have had pitching issues, and trading Langeliers would get them a few young pitchers. Without the star catcher and leader to help these pitchers develop, it could be difficult for them to adjust to the big leagues.

Shea Langeliers absolutely CRUSHES a leadoff home run 😱 pic.twitter.com/ZyXdC7yy1F
— MLB (@MLB) June 9, 2026

If the A's trade Langeliers, Jonah Heim could be the guy who takes over for the remainder of the season, which would be fine. However, Heim is set to hit free agency after this season, and if he continues to perform as he has, he could earn a nice contract elsewhere.

This would all lead to the A's having no catching next season, which would be a huge setback. If the team wants young pitching, they should trade valuable players at other positions. Potential options could be Tyler Soderstrom, Carlos Cortes, Tommy White, or Max Muncy.

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