- May 21, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
The Athletics face an uncertain offseason with no full-time president of baseball operations or general manager since David Forst was let go on August 7.
Shea Langeliers is projected to earn $8.7MM in his second of three arbitration years and hits free agency after 2028. Extension talks last spring went nowhere, and as a Scott Boras client, he may prefer testing the open market.
Langeliers missed nearly seven weeks in 2026 with a torn right meniscus and served only as DH upon his September return. When healthy, he has been productive: a 117 wRC+ since Opening Day 2024, with a .262/.328/.474 slash line and 23 homers over 467 plate appearances this past season, plus his first All-Star selection.
His defense remains mixed. He throws out baserunners well but Statcast grades his framing and blocking below average, though he has rebounded from a rough 2024.
Offensively, Langeliers has outperformed Adley Rutschman over the last three seasons by fWAR, a notable comparison given the haul Baltimore received for Rutschman.
With the A's going 64-98 in 2026 and their Las Vegas move set for 2028, trading Langeliers now for younger pitching talent could align with their long-term timeline. Several teams need catching help this offseason.
Mickey's Angle: The new A's executive will weigh whether two years of Langeliers outweighs building for 2028; his injury recovery adds risk for buyers.
Source: MLB Trade Rumors - written by Mickey the Mouth from the original report.