Aug 17, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Shea Langeliers (23) and catcher Sean Murphy (12) celebrate after the victory over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Padres Linked to 29-Homer Catcher in Potential Major Trade Deadline Move

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Aaron Coloma | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 6:53 PM ET

The MLB trade deadline is a little more than two weeks away, and the San Diego Padres have yet to address any of the glaring holes in their lineup.

Arguably the biggest position in need of an upgrade for the Friars is catcher, where they have struggled offensively despite a solid defensive duo of Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado. The Athletic believes Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers could be an option for San Diego in the current market.

Langeliers has been the A's' everyday catcher since the departure of Sean Murphy after the 2022 season, and has grown into his shoes as one of MLB's premier power-hitting catchers. He came to the A's in the trade which sent All-Star Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves in 2022.

The catcher hit a career-high 29 home runs last season after crushing 22 in 2023. He has 12 bombs in 2025 through just 66 games, as he missed a few weeks with an oblique injury earlier in the season. He has a modest .226 batting average this season, though it is still higher than both of the Padres' catching options, as well as Luis Campusano, who the Padres called up to help mitigate their wounds on Sunday.

While Langeliers is an attractive option for the Padres, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported he will not be available at the trade deadline this season.

"The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers is eligible for arbitration this offseason for the first time," Rosenthal writes. "His agent is Scott Boras, who generally prefers his clients to establish their values on the open market. But the Athletics are not trading Langeliers, according to a source briefed on their plans."

Whether it's Langeliers or not, the Padres need to find a catching replacement to provide an offensive spark as they chase a second consecutive playoff appearance. They held the final Wild Card spot in the National League heading into Sunday's games, and will look to preserve their lead in the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies.

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This article first appeared on San Diego Padres on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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