Written By Mauricio Segura // Photo: Golden Bay Times Graphics Dept.
SEP 10, 2025
West Sacramento feels electric. On September 10, 2025, Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz both launched their 30th home runs of the season. It was an achievement that is more than just a number, it stakes serious claim to future expectations and cements their names in A’s history books.
Langeliers, operating behind the plate for most of the year, opened the fireworks in the first inning with a solo shot off Boston starter Payton Tolle. He became only the second catcher in Athletics history to slug 30 homers in a single season while catching at least 50 percent of games, joining Terry Steinbach, who hit 35 in 1996. This is a personal best for Langeliers, whose previous high was 29 in 2024. Along with that power, he has racked up doubles, runs batted in, and climbed several offensive leaderboards among American League catchers.
Not even one inning later Kurtz followed suit, belting his 30th off the same pitcher. Kurtz’s journey to 30 is impressive not only for the output but for how fast he did it. In just his 102nd Major League game, he joined an elite list of active players who reached 30 homers that quickly. He is now one of only three rookies in A’s history to eclipse 30 home runs in a season.
What makes this double milestone especially compelling is what it says about the future. The Athletics’ lineup, often criticized for inconsistency, now boasts two young power hitters who are not just calling attention, they are demanding adjustments and altering how opponents approach the rest of the order. Langeliers’ ability to mash while catching a lot of innings gives the A’s flexibility. Kurtz’s pop, especially when he pulls back or goes the other way, adds a threat in every at bat.
Kurtz in particular stands out. Beyond the 30 home runs, he has accumulated 24 non pulled home runs this season, ranking among the top in all of MLB for that metric. That means he is not just swinging and hoping, he is hitting the ball where defenses do not defend as hard.
As of now, 2025 may look rough for A’s fans in terms of wins and losses, but nights like this offer yardsticks of hope. Pairing landmarks like 30 homers with growing trust in young talent suggests that the hard years might be building toward something meaningful. These are the moments that often mark the turning points, even if the scoreboard is not where anyone wants it yet.
For Langeliers, matching a franchise icon, breaking personal bests, and doing so while anchoring the catching position is validation. For Kurtz, doing it so quickly, racking up power from both pull and non pull zones, and holding up under rookie expectations lets people stop asking when the breakout will happen and start writing what he has already done.
When they both reached the milestone in the same game, off the same pitcher, it felt like not just a coincidence but a call to arms for the rest of the clubhouse. The A’s might not be in playoff contention this year, but Langeliers and Kurtz are already building the foundation of what the next phase looks like. Fans can dream, and if 2025 has taught anything, it is that sometimes the dreams start with moments like this.
