Dad Strength reigns again! Langeliers goes deep in first AB back from paternity list

PHILADELPHIA – After a whirlwind past week, Shea Langeliers returned to the Athletics with a new outlook on life as a first-time father.

“It just like you hear it from everybody else,” he said with a smile before Thursday’s series finale against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. “The second it happens, everything changes and you don’t really know how to describe it. It’s exactly that.”

The A’s reinstated Langeliers from the paternity list, adding the slugging catcher back to the lineup after a three-game absence to be with his wife, Raegan, for the birth of their first child. To clear a roster spot, the club designated catcher Austin Wynns for assignment.

Of course, with all new fathers comes the famed “Dad Strength” that boosts a hitter’s power upon their return to baseball. It didn’t take long for Langeliers to activate his, as he crushed a majestic Statcast-projected 412-foot two-run blast well up the seats in left-center off Phillies starter Andrew Painter in the first inning.

Langeliers doesn’t necessarily need any extra pop. He leads all Major League catchers with 11 home runs, while his 1.017 OPS entering Thursday ranked sixth in the Majors. Still, a little “Dad Strength” wouldn’t hurt.

“Hopefully,” Langeliers said with a laugh pregame. “I hope the trend continues and my ‘Dad Strength’ comes in. That would be really cool.”

• Every Dad Strength home run since 2011

Langeliers had been on call for quite some time. Raegan’s technical due date was last Friday, but the arrival was a bit delayed, extending into Saturday, her birthday, which saw Langeliers play and slug two home runs. After the game, the Langeliers took part in Family Day at Sutter Health Park and went out for dinner that night. That’s when things escalated.

“Her water actually broke at dinner,” Langeliers said. “That’s when I called [manager Mark Kotsay] and let him know. The midwife was saying it still could be another 24 hours until she goes into active labor. So I was like, ‘as of right now, I’m still planning to come to the field and playing on Sunday.’”

Langeliers did not, in fact, head to the field on Sunday. Raegan officially went into labor late Saturday night, and at 8:59 a.m. PT on Sunday, their son, Owen Wade, was born.

“First time seeing him and holding him, it just feels like the whole world changes around you,” Langeliers said. “You don’t realize you could love something so much. It was really special. Crazy day. One of the best days of my life.”

You hear the stories about new parents generally short on sleep in the immediate aftermath, but Langeliers said Owen has been on his best behavior, allowing him and Raegan to both get some decent rest.

“It hasn’t been that bad,” Langeliers said. “There was one night that he got pretty fussy and was crying a good bit. Other than that, we’re only four days into it, but he’s a pretty good sleeper. He sleeps, eats and poops. That’s about it right now. It’s been pretty easy, I’d say.”

Born seven pounds and 13 ounces, Owen Wade, fittingly has been sleeping in his crib with a small baseball bat reading his name at his side.

“It’s been awesome,” Langeliers said. “He’s actually pretty alert. He’s looking around. It looks like he’s taking everything in. I don’t know how well he can see yet, but he’s starting to extend his arms and legs. It’s cool. I was just trying to hold him and hang out with him as much as possible before I left. It was a really special four days just to be able to hang out and be there with him.”