Shea Langeliers added another honor to his breakout 2026 season Friday, even as his year on the field remains in doubt.
The Athletics named Langeliers their 2026 Heart & Hustle Award winner, an honor presented annually to an active player who best represents the game’s values, spirit and traditions.
Langeliers becomes the fourth catcher in A’s history to receive the award. He joins Stephen Vogt, Kurt Suzuki and Jason Kendall.
A season worth recognizing
Before landing on the injured list, Langeliers had emerged as one of the Athletics’ most productive hitters.
The 28-year-old was batting .263 with a .332 on-base percentage and an .829 OPS. He had 23 home runs, 51 RBIs and 99 hits in 376 at-bats.
His season also included several franchise milestones.
Langeliers started for the American League in the 2026 All-Star Game. He became the first Athletics catcher to start the Midsummer Classic since Terry Steinbach in 1989.
Also, Langeliers became the only catcher in franchise history with four consecutive 20-home run seasons.
He hit his 100th career homer on May 12. Langeliers now has 111 career home runs, including 97 while playing catcher.
That total ranks fourth in franchise history for home runs hit as a catcher.
Joining familiar company
The Heart & Hustle Award places Langeliers alongside several notable A’s catchers.
Kendall won the honor in 2006. Suzuki followed in 2010 and 2011, while Vogt received it in 2015.
Langeliers, a former first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves out of Baylor, made his major league debut in August 2022. He has since developed into one of the central pieces of the Athletics’ lineup.
For his career, Langeliers is batting .240 with 463 hits, 111 home runs and 288 RBIs.
Recovery comes first
The award arrives while Langeliers recovers from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
He is expected to miss the remainder of the season, although Langeliers has not completely ruled out a return if his recovery allows.
“If there’s any possibility of me coming back to play, I’d love to explore that avenue,” Langeliers said after surgery. “Obviously, I don’t want to make any crazy decisions and make sure that I am 100% if I do get the chance to come back and play.”
Manager Mark Kotsay has taken a similarly cautious approach.
“There’s no sense in rushing Shea back,” Kotsay said.
For now, Langeliers has begun his rehabilitation while remaining around the team.
The Athletics will also celebrate him Aug. 15 with Shea Langeliers Bobblehead Night when they host the Texas Rangers.
Related stories
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
