The A’s got one of their biggest bats back on Saturday, reinstating Shea Langeliers from the 15-day injured list before their matchup with the Mariners.
Langeliers, an All-Star catcher, had been sidelined since late July with a torn meniscus in his right knee. After a meniscectomy, he was originally feared to be done for the season.
Instead, he’s back after missing about six weeks. He’s in the lineup as the designated hitter and batting cleanup, and the expectation is that he’ll DH for the rest of the year.
That’s a welcome turn for Oakland after Langeliers’ injury interrupted another strong season. The 28-year-old has posted a 123 wRC+ in 416 plate appearances and has launched 23 homers, putting him within striking distance of his career-best 31 before the knee issue stopped his run.
Langeliers has been a dangerous power source at catcher since he became a regular in 2023, but this year brought a different kind of progress. For the first time in his big league career, he’s been a positive defender.
He had logged three straight seasons at -10 Defensive Runs Saved or worse, but now sits at 1 DRS in 2026. Statcast hasn’t been as enthusiastic - he’s at -4 Fielding Run Value and in the 11th percentile in Framing - yet the defensive growth is still there.
To make room on the roster, the A’s optioned infielder Darell Hernaiz to Triple-A.
Hernaiz has filled in in a variety of spots over the last three seasons, and he broke camp with the club this year before bouncing up and down several times. In 56 games this season, he’s produced a 66 wRC+.
Most of his value has come from his ability to move around the diamond. He’s logged at least a dozen games at second base, third base and shortstop, and he also got his first look in the outfield as a pro, spending two innings in right field.
The move also arrives against the backdrop of the A’s recent extension spree. The club has already locked up outfielder Lawrence Butler, shortstop Jacob Wilson, outfielder Tyler Soderstrom and designated hitter Brent Rooker on long-term deals.
Langeliers isn’t on that list yet, though the team did discuss an extension with him before the season. Those conversations came under former general manager David Forst, who was fired in August, so it remains to be seen whether they pick back up.
Langeliers has two years of team control left after this season.
In Other News...
A's Fans Have A New Reason To Worry About Gage Jump
The Athletics trip to Seattle turned ugly fast in Game 2, and Gage Jumps night only added to the concern around a club already searching for stability on the mound. Oakland was hammered by the Mariners and never found much resistance on either side of the ball, with Shea Langeliers providing the teams lone run in a lopsided loss that quickly got out of hand.
Jump was tagged for five runs in two innings before exiting early with shoulder tightness, a development the As will be watching closely given how little margin they have for any more pitching setbacks. The bullpen did not offer much relief after that, giving up 11 runs over 5.2 innings as Seattle piled on and left Oakland with more questions than answers heading into the rest of the series. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Blowout Exposed A Bigger Problem Than One Ugly Night
An ugly blowout can usually be filed away as one bad night, but this one felt like something closer to a warning flare for the Athletics. The loss underscored how much strain the pitching staff is under, with the rotation still searching for stability and only JT Ginn and Jacob Lopez offering much in the way of dependable starts while other arms have drifted in the wrong direction.
Luis Severinos future is still unresolved, and the bigger concern is whether the pitching mix is good enough to support a meaningful push at all. Even the core position players were quiet in the defeat, leaving the As with more questions than answers after a game that looked less like a fluke and more like a snapshot of the problems they have been carrying for weeks. [Read more 🡒]
As GM Search Is About To Define The Franchises Vegas Era
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For an organization trying to steady itself through a transition that will define its Vegas era, the choice of general manager looms as one of the most important decisions it will make. The As are exploring a range of backgrounds as they sort through the job, which suggests they are not limiting themselves to one familiar lane or one traditional path. However this search plays out, the next baseball executive in line will inherit not just a roster, but the early blueprint for what the franchise wants to become. [Read more 🡒]