Should the Mets trade for this starting catcher?

Langeliers has been a consistent power-hitting backstop throughout his career, which has been roughly the same timeline as Alvarez. The right-handed hitter clubbed 22 homers in 135 games in 2023, 29 in 137 games last year, and is on pace for another 20+ homer season this year despite missing three weeks with an oblique strain.

Langeliers is only making $770,000 this season and still has three years left under team control, taking him through his age-30 season. Financially, it would cost the Mets almost nothing, which is also a reason the A's may not be interested in trading him.

But here's the kicker: the A's have multiple catchers on their roster already that can fill right in and replace Langeliers. Both Austin Wynns and Willie MacIver have filled in for Langeliers while he was out; the 34-year-old Wynns is hitting .282 with five homers and 18 RBI, while the 28-year-old rookie MacIver hit .245 with two homers and four RBI in just 16 games.

The A's 23-year-old young phenom Tyler Soderstrom has been a key piece of their offense, and he has also played catcher in the past for them back in 2023. He's mostly played first base and outfield since then, but he is another potential option.

On top of three catching options already, the A's have another catcher at Triple-A Las Vegas that is lighting it up. 24-year-old Daniel Susac is hitting .303 with a .388 OBP, 10 home runs, and 41 RBI in 52 games this season. That gives the A's potentially four other catchers to take the place of Langeliers if they decided to move him.

The Athletics are an organization with a desperate need for pitching help. On the other hand, the Mets have plenty of talent on that front in Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, Blade Tidwell, Jonah Tong, Jonathan Santucci, and others that could work in a trade package.

The other intriguing caveat to a Langeliers deal would be if the Mets took on Luis Severino in a trade and ate the remaining money on his three-year, $67 million contract; the A's reportedly "can't wait to trade" Severino after he complained about pitching in Sutter Health Park. With the A's temporary relocation to Sacramento and their own financial issues, that could be another layer to a Langeliers trade.

The Mets are in win-now mode and can't hope and pray that Alvarez is indeed their franchise catcher. Having Langeliers here for three years and maybe even having Alvarez there along with him as a backup could turn a major weakness for the Mets into a massive, power-hitting strength.