Holy cow, baseball fans, this is a gut punch for the Oakland Athletics. All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, an injury that could sideline him for the entire rest of the season. Talk about a brutal blow right before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.
Langeliers Injury Tanks A’s Trade Plans
This isn’t just a regular injury; this one absolutely wrecks the A’s plans. Langeliers was putting up the best season of his career, batting a solid .263 with 23 home runs, 51 RBIs, and an .829 OPS in 93 games. He was expected to be one of the most sought-after players on the trade market. Now? He’s off the market completely. The Athletics, sitting way back at 44-60 and fourth in the AL West, were already planning to be sellers. This injury takes the decision right out of their hands for one of their key assets. What a mess for that front office to deal with.
Max Scherzer’s Comeback: Can He Shake Off That Brutal ERA?
Over in Toronto, there’s another story bubbling up, but this one’s about a return: Max Scherzer is back! The veteran right-hander will celebrate his 42nd birthday by coming off the injured list to start Monday’s series opener at Washington. Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed he’s ready, saying Max checked all the boxes in his rehab, even if he might be a little limited on pitch count. You gotta wonder what kind of Max we’re getting, though. He’s been sidelined since mid-June with back spasms, battled various setbacks, and even had three cortisone shots in his thumb. His season numbers are not pretty: a 1-4 record with a brutal 10.23 ERA in just six starts. He did strike out seven over five innings and 56 pitches in his rehab start, so maybe there’s a glimmer? The Blue Jays desperately need him, too; they’ve dropped seven of 10 since the All-Star break. Scherzer’s a legend with two World Series rings, one with the Nationals in 2019, the other with Texas in 2023, but his recent performance has been a roller coaster. Last season, he was even left off the ALDS roster due to late-season struggles, though he made it for the ALCS and World Series, which Toronto lost in seven games to the Dodgers. Can he turn it around?
White Sox Add Urquidy to Bullpen
And for a quick hit: the Chicago White Sox are set to grab Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Jose Urquidy. Details aren’t known yet, but the White Sox want to add to their bullpen to push for the American League Central. Urquidy, however, has had a rough go with the Pirates. He’s only thrown 6.1 innings across five appearances, carrying an 8.53 ERA and a 2.68 WHIP this season. Those are some tough numbers to swallow, even for a struggling bullpen.
So, Monday’s not just another day. You’ve got Max Scherzer, at 42, trying to prove he’s still got it against Washington. Can he shake off that 10.23 ERA and give the Blue Jays a much-needed boost after dropping seven of ten? His career is one for the books, but this season has been a challenge. Keep an eye on that one!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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