Athletics: Langeliers Starter, Kurtz Reserve at 2026 All-Star Game

Athletics: Langeliers to Start, Kurtz to Be Reserve at 2026 All-Star Game

By Evan M. Thompson, Editor-in-chief

Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Nick Kurtz, both 2026 All-Stars, celebrating a home run

Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images

July 4, 2026

Athletics: Langeliers Starter, Kurtz Reserve at 2026 All-Star Game

For the first time since Terry Steinbach in 1989, an Athletics catcher will start in the All-Star Game. Major League Baseball revealed Saturday that Shea Langeliers led all American League catchers in the fan voting, meaning Langeliers will start the 2026 All-Star Game. The game, which will be at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 14, will have two Athletics All-Stars. First baseman Nick Kurtz — who hails from nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania — will be a reserve after being selected by American League players.

All-Star First Halves for the Athletics Duo

According to the team press release, Langeliers is second among major league catchers in both homers (20) and hits (87). Additionally, he is third in slugging percentage (.494) and extra-base hits (36) plus tied for third in doubles (16). He is fourth in OPS (.822) and fifth in on-base percentage (.328) among major-league catchers as well. In the last 20 years, Langeliers and Khris Davis are the only Athletics players with 20 home runs in four consecutive seasons.

Kurtz, according to the same source, is the fourth Athletics first baseman selected to the All-Star Game since 2000. The others are Matt Olson (2021), Yonder Alonso (2017), and Jason Giambi (2000 & 2001 both). Kurtz leads the majors in RBI (66) and walks (76) and is second in on-base percentage (.424), tied for second in runs scored (61), and is third in OPS (.949). The decorated Kurtz was the unanimous 2025 American League Rookie of the Year and was this season’s American League Player of the Month for May.

Consecutive Seasons

The All-Star nods for Langeliers and Kurtz mean the Athletics have had multiple players elected to the All-Star Game, either by fans or players, for a second consecutive season. In 2025, when the game was in Atlanta, both Jacob Wilson and Brent Rooker went to the game. This marks the first time since 2018 & 2019 that the Athletics have had multiple elected All-Stars in consecutive seasons.

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Evan M. Thompson, Editor-in-chief

Evan is the owner and sole contributor of Thompson Talks, a website discussing the Big Four North American Pro Sports as well as soccer. He covered the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2019 to 2023, the Colorado Rockies in 2024, and has covered the Athletics since Spring Training 2025. He also is our National Writer. His first and biggest love is baseball.

Evan lives in Gilbert, Arizona and loves history, especially of sports. He is a member of the Hemond Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). He released his first book, Volume I of A Complete History of the Major League Baseball Playoffs, in October of 2021. His second book, Volume II of A Complete History of the Major League Baseball Playoffs (1977–1984) came out September 2024.

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