Sports

Pros and cons of Athletics shipping Langeliers before deadline

Oakland Athletics On SI · Jul 22, 2026 11:00 · 3 min read

Pros and Cons of Athletics Shipping Langeliers Before Deadline — Jul 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) hits a three-RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Recently, Shea Langeliers has been a major topic with the deadline right around the corner.

The Athletics have a very tricky situation on their hands.

In recent days, Shea Langeliers has been the biggest name wandering the rumor mill. With contract negotiations going nowhere and the Athletics in desperate need of pitching, it seems like everything points to a Langeliers blockbuster. However, there may be some drawbacks to consider.

Con: Team Loses a Leader

Langeliers is one of the older players on an otherwise very young roster, which means something for this team. Superstar Nick Kurtz has even put Langeliers above him in terms of who is better, a massive honor to say the least, or Kurtz is being humble. And while sports are a business, the human side of things also comes into play.

A trade this abrupt could cause the locker room to lose interest in the rest of their season. When you see a vet like Langeliers put up numbers like he has this season, it would be shocking to see him go for any player. A move like this would send a harrowing message to the rest of the clubhouse, potentially causing the Athletics to nose-dive even further.

Con: A Lot of Production Is Lost

Langelire — Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) shakes hands with Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) after the second inning for the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Back to the numbers. As Kurtz said, Langeliers has been the best player for the Athletics this season. Not only was he voted in as the American League starting catcher, but he also leads the team in home runs. And not too long ago, he was on track for an MVP-type season. Replacing this will be impossible.

This year, Langeliers is batting .260 with a .826 OPS. As mentioned earlier, Langeliers is also leading the Athletics in home runs, three more than Kurtz. The only reason the Athletics feel competitive this season is their explosive offense; if you take away one of, if not the team's biggest contributors, the Athletics really do not have much to fall back on.

Pro: Pitching Could Get Fixed

Lnagelerii — Jul 20, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris (36) celebrates with catcher Shea Langeliers (23) after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Athletics were to trade Langeliers, it would mostly bring in either pitching prospects or established major leaguers. Either way, the Athletics' pitching problems could be a thing of the past. And while it is unclear if this will have an immediate impact on the win-loss column, it could set the team up for bigger things down the road.

With how Langeliers is currently playing, there is no doubt in the world that the return would be huge. A few top 100 prospects could be the key to the Athletics finally reaching the postseason and potentially winning a series for the first time since 2020.

Pro: More Money for Kurtz

Right now, it feels like Kurtz has the Athletics under his thumb. This team needed direction, and Kurtz provided it after a historic rookie season. That said, it will cost a pretty penny to keep him with the team long-term. And considering the Athletics' current reputation as a stingy spender, they will need to find more money any way they can.

With Langeliers also due for a contract extension in 2028, the Athletics will be forced to hand out a sizable contract that could heavily influence how much Kurtz gets. If traded, this could allow Kurtz to get re-signed before his contract is even due. This is something to keep an eye out for.

Concluding Thoughts

There is no doubt that Langeliers is a very talented player who would ultimately be the reason the Athletics finally break through. But when weighing the pros and cons, it is clear that this move would make more sense in the long term.

It is also important to note that Langeliers is 28, an age at which we have seen many catchers start to decline. With his value at an all-time high, this move once again reinforces a better future for the team. But yet again, dealing him would create a sizable chasm, which could lead to even more problems.