The Los Angeles Angels will host the Texas Rangers for the first game of the Angels’ final home series of the season on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Being out of the pennant race for several weeks has allowed the Angels to get a good look at some of their prospects, and the latest to get his opportunity is catcher Logan O’Hoppe.
O’Hoppe, 22, was acquired at the trade deadline on Aug. 2 from the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Brandon Marsh.
O’Hoppe played in 29 games for the Angels’ Double-A Rocket City (Ala.) Trash Pandas and was part of the club that had the best record (81-57) in the Southern League.
Shortstop Livan Soto, outfielder Ryan Aguilar and pitcher Chase Silseth all made their major league debuts this season after being promoted from Rocket City, and O’Hoppe was the latest to join the big league club.
He made his debut on Wednesday against Oakland and singled in his first at-bat. He also drew raves for how he handled the pitchers in the Angels’ 4-1 victory.
“It was a dream come true,” O’Hoppe said of his time with Rocket City, for whom he hit .306 with 11 homers, 33 RBIs and a 1.147 OPS. “I’d been wanting to be a part of a group like that for a while. I got down there, and everyone made me feel welcome right away. It was a group I’m going to miss. A lot of good guys and a lot of friendships I was able to form and keep up with now. So it was a great experience and a couple months I won’t forget.”
He said he wasn’t expecting the call-up, but he shadowed veteran catcher Max Stassi when he arrived on Tuesday before getting his initial start on Wednesday.
“I was following Max around trying to get a feel for the routine,” O’Hoppe said. “There was a lot of information to take in, but I’m happy I got my feet wet.”
Reid Detmers (6-6, 3.88 ERA) will make his 25th start of the season for the Angels (70-86). The left-hander is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in four career starts against the Rangers (66-89).
Right-hander Glenn Otto (6-9, 4.73) will make his 26th start of the season for the Rangers, coming off a no-decision against Cleveland when he gave up just one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings on Saturday.
Otto is 1-0 with a 6.48 ERA in four career starts against the Angels.
Corey Seager’s availability for Friday’s game is questionable. The Rangers’ shortstop has missed the last two games after being hit by a pitch on his left forearm on Tuesday by Mariners pitcher Matthew Boyd.
Seager initially was diagnosed with a contusion, an injury that Rangers interim manager Tony Beasley said was “probably best-case scenario for us because it could have been much worse.”
Seager was replaced at shortstop by Josh Smith the last two games.
“He’s a little better today, but he still doesn’t have the grip strength, and he still hasn’t swung a bat yet,” Beasley said of Seager.
–Field Level Media
