Athletics option Brian Serven back to Las Vegas

Serven gets the nod to join the Athletics injury-ravaged roster with two games left before the All-Star break. The well-traveled 31-year-old backstop has gone 1-for-4 in the big leagues this season.

Langeliers was removed from Friday night’s game due to a left thumb contusion and has now missed two consecutive starts. He’s still considered day-to-day. Brian Serven will start behind the dish for the Athletics and bat ninth against Eury Perez and the Marlins on Sunday afternoon in West Sacramento.

Serven’s promotion comes a day after Shea Langeliers left Friday’s game with a thumb injury. Coincidence? Probably not. Serven will be a backup backstop to Jonah Heim while he’s with the club. How long that takes place will depend on Langeliers’ availability.

Serven last appeared in the majors with the Blue Jays in 2024. He spent 2025 with the Detroit Tigers, slashing .232/.335/.313 with three home runs in 62 games at Triple-A Toledo. He’s simply organizational catching depth.

Baddoo likely would’ve made Detroit’s season-opening roster as their starting right fielder, in the wake of Parker Meadow’s nerve-related arm injury, had he not undergone surgery last month to repair a hamate fracture in his right hand. No other real surprises here among the latest round of cuts from Tigers camp, but several of the pitchers have a shot to make it to the Motor City in middle relief roles..

Serven provides the Tigers with some extra organizational catching depth behind Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler until top prospects Thayron Liranzo and Josue Briceño are ready to reach the big leagues. The 29-year-old backstop got into 28 contests last year for the Blue Jays.

Serven was designated for assignment earlier this week. He has the option to refuse the assignment, but either way he’ll become a free agent at the end of the season. Serven is a weak hitter even for a backup catcher. He hit .159 with no home runs and three RBI in 63 at-bats with Toronto this year.

This is interesting, mostly because Serven has caught Bowden Francis’s last five starts during this incredible streak that Francis is on. Still, given that this wasn’t a relationship that was likely to continue into 2025 — Serven is just too weak offensively to justify the backup gig — the Jays might as well get Francis used to throwing to someone else again. Serven was hitting .159/.243/.222 in 71 plate appearances this season. He’s lifetime .187/.247/.293 hitter, in 299 PA even though about 40 percent of his plate appearances have come in Coors.

Brian was Serven the Buffalo Bisons but now he’ll come up to take the place of Danny Jensen after Jensen was traded to the Red Sox on Saturday. He’ll likely get some starts behind the plate, but there’s no fantasy upside here.

Serven was called up on Monday with Danny Jansen on the paternity list. He made one start during his time up and will now return to Triple-A.