Athletics' Shea Langeliers Makes Disappointing Decision After Dodgers Series

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Athletics' Shea Langeliers Makes Disappointing Decision After Dodgers Series

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nicholas Covone | Last updated Jul 2, 2026 2:12 PM ET

Athletics' star catcher Shea Langeliers made a disappointing announcement following the team's series loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Langeliers has emerged as one of the league's best backstops during the 2026 season thus far.

The 28-year-old is slashing .265/.330/.497, good for a .827 OPS, with 20 home runs, 44 RBIs and 16 doubles.

With the kind of raw power that Langeliers possesses, many expected him to think about participating in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby in Philadelphia this season.

Many of the leagues top home run hitters take part in the competition, but it appears that it is not in the cards for Langeliers this season.

Per Martín Gallegos of MLB.com, Langeliers kept it short and blunt went asked about if he was interested in partiapating in the Derby, stating, "No."

Shea Langeliers on if he’s interested in participating in the Home Run Derby: “No.”
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) July 2, 2026

While this announcement from the catcher is disappointing, it may not come as a surprise to some.

The Home Run Derby is a fun event, but there has been a trend of batters tweaking their swings while preparing. This has become an issue for many players, as some have a hard time finding their normal swing following the Derby.

Langeliers choosing not to participate shows that he is completely focused on getting the A's back into a postseason push, as the team sits 3.0 games back of a Wild Card spot with a 41-46 record.

So far, the only player to commit to the Derby is Tampa Bay Rays' slugger Junior Caminero, with more announcements for participating expected in the coming weeks.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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