The Oakland Athletics are in freefall. Ten losses in their last 11 games, 14 games under .500, and a front office that’s apparently willing to listen on pretty much anybody. That includes catcher Shea Langeliers, and two of the biggest spenders in baseball should be paying close attention.
MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported the A’s are “open to anything” ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. And Langeliers, a 26-year-old with power and a strong arm, is exactly the kind of asset a seller like Oakland would move for the right prospect package.
Why the Yankees make sense
New York’s offense has been brutal for about a month, and a big part of that is what they’re getting from behind the plate. Yankees catchers have combined for a .519 OPS this season. That’s not a typo. Austin Wells, who was supposed to be part of the solution, has struggled badly against lefties and hasn’t hit at all lately.
The Yankees want a right-handed bat to complement Wells. Langeliers, who hit 22 homers last year and has shown he can handle a pitching staff, would slot right into the bottom of that order and immediately improve it. He’s not a superstar, but he’d be the best catcher in that room the second he shows up.
The Dodgers situation is trickier
Los Angeles has a longer-term plan at catcher, but the short-term situation just got complicated. Will Smith, the All-Star backstop, is working through neck inflammation and has paused baseball activities. Nobody knows exactly when he’ll be back. The Dodgers need someone who can catch big league innings right now.
That said, Smith is signed through 2033. And Dalton Rushing, a Dodgers prospect, has been making noise this year and looks like the club’s catcher of the future. So adding Langeliers, who would be a rental or cost control for a couple more years, raises a real question: does it make sense to invest significant trade capital in a position where you already have two long-term solutions?
The Dodgers have never let logic stop them from spending for a ring, though. Their front office trades prospects like they’re trading cards and figures out the fit later. If they think Langeliers helps them win a World Series this year, they’ll probably go get him regardless of what the depth chart looks like in 2026.
Oakland hasn’t confirmed any specific trade talks, and it’s possible they hold onto Langeliers if the offers don’t wow them. But when a team is this bad and this open about dealing, something usually happens. The only question is which contender blinks first.
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