The Boston Red Sox are rolling, seriously. After a red-hot 15-game winning streak in July, they’ve officially cemented themselves as legitimate postseason contenders. This is what you love to see when a team is firing on all cylinders, but even with that kind of momentum, every serious contender knows the MLB trade deadline is prime time for a roster upgrade. Their pitching, both the rotation and the bullpen, looks solid, but the offense could still use another jolt, even with Willson Contreras doing his thing. That’s where a massive move for a slugging catcher or middle infielder could come into play.
The All-Star Catcher Boston Needs: A Big Swing For Shea Langeliers
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer tossed out a trade idea that would grab an .829 OPS All-Star AL West catcher, Shea Langeliers of the Athletics, for the Red Sox. The proposed package sending LHP Connelly Early and RHP Anthony Eyanson, listed as MLB No. 22, to the A’s shows Boston is ready to spend big to improve. Rymer’s vision is clear: the Red Sox would absolutely give up a lot here, but when you’re talking about landing someone with Langeliers’ caliber, it’s gotta cost a premium. The Athletics aren’t under pressure to move their All-Star backstop, so Boston’s offer would need to truly make an impact. This two-player deal, featuring Early and Eyanson, looks like a real option for the A’s who are desperate for young pitching.
Why Langeliers Is Worth the Massive Haul For the Red Sox
Langeliers isn’t just an All-Star; he’s a game-changer. This 28-year-old catcher has mashed 23 home runs this season, rocking a .263 batting average and an eye-popping .829 OPS with a 122 OPS+. His 3.7 bWAR this year already outpaces his previous career-high of 3.5, which he put up last year in 30 more games and over 100 additional at-bats. That’s some serious production for fewer chances. What makes him even more appealing, and frankly, why the price tag is so steep, is his club control. Langeliers is locked in through the 2028 season, meaning the Red Sox would get two and a half full seasons of him if this trade goes down. He’d be a huge upgrade at catcher and stick around for several years on pretty affordable arbitration years. It’s an expensive proposition to give up Early, especially since he’s touted as the headliner, but Boston’s rotation is already in a great spot. This proposed move makes sense because both teams have desperate needs: the A’s need pitching, and the Red Sox need offensive firepower. Adding Langeliers would be huge and could genuinely be the move that wins back the fans for Craig Breslow.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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