WEST SACRAMENTO – On the eve of Phase 2 voting for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game officially closing, Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers provided a lasting reminder of why he’s such a heavy favorite at his position.
Langeliers helped the A’s avoid a three-game sweep and snap a four-game losing skid with a two-hit night highlighted by a booming 433-foot solo blast to left-center off reliever Charlie Barnes in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s 7-1 win over the Dodgers at Sutter Health Park.
The home run was Langeliers’ 20th of the year, which puts him in good company. The 28-year-old backstop joins Khris Davis as the only A’s players with four straight 20-homer seasons over the last 20 years.
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Langeliers entered Wednesday holding a sizable lead (65%-35%) over Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk in Phase 2 All-Star voting. If elected, Langeliers would become the first A’s catcher to start the All-Star Game since Terry Steinbach in 1988.
Since the A’s moved to California in 1968, Langeliers is the ninth player with a stretch of at least four consecutive 20-homer seasons. That list is a star-studded group:
Reggie Jackson (8 years, 1968-75)
Eric Chavez (7 years, 2000-06)
Jason Giambi (6 years, 1996-2001)
Mark McGwire (6 years, 1987-92)
Miguel Tejada (5 years, 1999-2003)
Shea Langeliers (4 years, 2023-26)
Khris Davis (4 years, 2016-19)
Matt Stairs (4 years, 1997-2000)
Gene Tenace (4 years, 1973-76)
What makes Langeliers’ feat all the more impressive, though, is that he’s the only one of those nine players to do it as a full-time catcher. We all know how demanding that position is. Catchers have to handle pitching staffs while also typically taking a beating behind the dish. Langeliers is no different, yet his power stroke has never faltered, now at 102 homers since the start of the 2023 season.
“I think every catcher across the league will tell you it’s a grind to get back there every night,” Langeliers said. “You do your best to recover and take care of your body, nutrition and all that. It’s not easy. To be able to compete offensively, too, is huge.”
Langeliers was in a bit of a power drought, at least for his standards. Wednesday’s big fly was his first since June 18, and in June, he batted .204 with a .632 OPS and five homers, as opposed to belting 14 homers in 63 games from March-May.
The overall numbers, however, remain impressive. As of Wednesday night, Langeliers leads all AL catchers in hits (87), home runs and on-base percentage (.330), while ranking second in batting average (.265), slugging percentage (.497) and OPS (.827).
“For everyone out there that feels like Shea needs to be doing more, that’s a great reminder for all those,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “He’s got 20 right now before the break. He’s been the catalyst of our offense since April, and it’s hard as a catcher to sustain the performance he put on in April. He’s done a great job. … The main goal is to keep Shea healthy and get him to the All-Star Game, which, I’m pretty confident that he’s going to be that guy.”
It’s almost a lock that Langeliers will be representing the A’s at this year’s Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia on July 14. Just don’t expect him to participate in the Home Run Derby. Asked postgame if he’d be interested in doing the Derby, Langeliers simply said, “No.”
For Langeliers, his focus is on getting through the All-Star break and helping this playoff-aspiring A’s squad go on a second-half push, which will have to go on without slugger Brent Rooker after it was revealed pregame that he will undergo season-ending knee surgery. They’ve got some work to do, now 41-46 on the year and three games back of both first place in the AL West and the third AL Wild Card.
“Over the course of 162 games, there’s going to be a bunch of momentum swings,” Langeliers said. “I think this game can get us back on the right track and move us in the right direction to start playing some good baseball.”