Shea Langeliers Makes MLB History With 5th HR in 6 Games

On April 1, 2026, Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers did something no player had done in over a century — and he did it against the team that once gave up on him. With a fifth-inning blast off Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale into the left field bullpen, Langeliers became only the second catcher in MLB history to hit at least five home runs through his team's first six games of a season. The last time it happened? 1925, when Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett did it for the Chicago Cubs. That's 101 years of baseball history without a repeat — until now.

Baseball fans searching for Shea Langeliers today are watching one of the most stunning individual hot streaks to open any MLB season in modern memory. Here's everything you need to know about the historic run.

The Record-Breaking Home Run: What Happened on April 1, 2026

In the fourth inning of a matchup between the Oakland Athletics and the Atlanta Braves, Langeliers stepped into the box against Chris Sale — one of the most decorated pitchers in the game — and launched a solo shot into the left field bullpen. It was his fifth home run of the young 2026 season, coming in just his team's sixth game.

The context made it even more dramatic: Langeliers was facing the Braves, the franchise that originally traded him away. Atlanta shipped the young catcher to Oakland as part of the Matt Olson deal in 2022, arguably one of the most impactful trades in recent Athletics history. Watching Langeliers torch his former organization while rewriting the record books added a poetic edge to an already remarkable moment.

According to Sporting News, no catcher had accomplished this feat since Gabby Hartnett in 1925 — a gap of 101 years that underscores just how historically rare this kind of production from a backstop truly is.

Langeliers' 2026 Stats: A Historic Start to the Season

The numbers through the first six games of 2026 are almost hard to believe for a catcher:

• Home runs: 5 (MLB-leading)
• Batting average: .364
• RBIs: 8
• OPS: 1.331

An OPS above 1.000 is considered elite for any position. At 1.331, Langeliers is operating at a level that most designated hitters and outfield sluggers never reach, let alone a catcher who is also responsible for managing a pitching staff and blocking balls in the dirt.

As reported by ClutchPoints, Langeliers leads all of MLB in home runs through this point in the season — not just catchers, but every player at every position. That's a remarkable statement about how dominant his bat has been in the early going.

The Historical Comparison: Shea Langeliers and Gabby Hartnett

To fully appreciate what Langeliers has done, it's worth understanding the player he's now sharing a page with in the record books.

Gabby Hartnett was one of the greatest catchers of his era, playing the majority of his career with the Chicago Cubs from 1922 to 1940. He was an eight-time All-Star, won the National League MVP award in 1935, and hit his legendary "Homer in the Gloamin'" — a walk-off home run in near-darkness that helped the Cubs win the pennant. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

In 1925, Hartnett got off to a scorching start, hitting at least five home runs through the Cubs' first six games of the season. That record stood untouched for 101 years — through the Dead Ball era's end, through the home run explosion of the 1990s, through the launch-angle revolution of the 2010s. No catcher managed to match it until Langeliers stepped up to the plate on April 1, 2026.

Hartnett went on to hit 24 home runs total in the 1925 season, a significant power display for a catcher in that era. Whether Langeliers can sustain this torrid pace over a full season remains to be seen, but the early returns are stunning.

Other Records Langeliers Has Tied or Broken

The Hartnett comparison is the headline, but Langeliers has been quietly stacking milestones throughout this early stretch of the season:

• Through five games, he tied Charles Johnson (2000) for the second-most home runs ever hit by any team's primary catcher through the first five games of a season.
• Also through five games, he tied the legendary Jimmy Foxx for the most home runs hit by any Oakland/Philadelphia Athletics player through five games in franchise history. Jimmy Foxx — widely considered one of the five greatest right-handed hitters in baseball history — had been the sole holder of that mark. Langeliers now shares it.
• He leads all of MLB in home runs through game six, making this one of the most explosive starts by any player at any position in recent memory.

The full scope of his record-setting run puts him in extraordinary company across multiple historical categories simultaneously.

The A's Win — and What It Means for Oakland

Despite the individual heroics, the Athletics entered this game sitting at 1-4 on the season — a difficult start that makes Langeliers' production stand out even more starkly. His bat has been virtually the only consistent bright spot in the lineup.

The good news: Oakland snapped their skid in this game, earning a 5-2 victory over the Braves thanks in large part to Langeliers' blast. As reported by MSN Sports, the win moved Oakland to 2-4 and gave the team a much-needed confidence boost heading further into the young season.

For a franchise that has endured years of rebuilding and relocation uncertainty, having a homegrown talent like Langeliers putting up numbers like this is exactly the kind of storyline the organization needs to generate excitement around their product. If he can sustain even a fraction of this pace, the A's catching situation will be one of the most talked-about in baseball.

You can watch the home run itself — a towering fly ball to left field — in the official MLB highlight.

Who Is Shea Langeliers? A Quick Background

Shea Langeliers was selected by the Atlanta Braves with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Baylor University. He was considered one of the top catching prospects in baseball, praised for his elite defense, game-calling ability, and developing power bat.

In March 2022, Atlanta traded him to Oakland along with four other prospects to acquire first baseman Matt Olson — a blockbuster deal that immediately raised questions about whether the Braves gave up too much. Olson has been excellent in Atlanta, but Langeliers' development in Oakland has made the trade one of the more debated in recent baseball history.

Langeliers made his MLB debut with the Athletics later in 2022 and steadily developed into one of the better offensive catchers in the American League. His power numbers have grown each year, and the 2026 season appears to represent a massive leap forward — at least through the first week.

Now, hitting five home runs in six games against the team that traded him, Langeliers is writing one of the better revenge narratives in recent sports memory.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shea Langeliers

How many home runs does Shea Langeliers have in 2026?

As of April 1, 2026, Shea Langeliers has five home runs in the 2026 MLB season — the most in all of baseball through six games. He hit his fifth on April 1 off Braves pitcher Chris Sale.

What record did Shea Langeliers break on April 1, 2026?

Langeliers became only the second catcher in MLB history to hit at least five home runs through his team's first six games of a season. The only other catcher to accomplish this was Gabby Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs in 1925 — 101 years earlier.

What team originally drafted Shea Langeliers?

Langeliers was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2022 as part of the Matt Olson deal.

What are Shea Langeliers' stats in the 2026 season?

Through six games of the 2026 season, Langeliers is batting .364 with five home runs, eight RBIs, and an OPS of 1.331. He leads all of MLB in home runs.

Who is Gabby Hartnett, the other catcher Langeliers is compared to?

Gabby Hartnett was a legendary catcher who played primarily for the Chicago Cubs from 1922 to 1940. He was an eight-time All-Star, the 1935 NL MVP, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. He hit five home runs through the Cubs' first six games in 1925, a record that stood until Langeliers matched it 101 years later.

Conclusion: A Hot Start for the Ages

Shea Langeliers is doing something in the first week of the 2026 MLB season that hasn't been done in over a century. Five home runs, an OPS over 1.300, and a historic place alongside one of baseball's all-time great catchers — all before April has barely begun. Whether this pace can continue over 162 games is the biggest question surrounding the A's catcher right now, but the history being made is real and undeniable.

For Athletics fans who have endured years of rebuilding and uncertainty, Langeliers' start is a genuine reason for optimism. And for baseball fans everywhere, watching a catcher hit like this — with power numbers that rival the game's best sluggers — is exactly the kind of story that makes the sport worth following from day one of the season.