Logan O’Hoppe batted third in the Los Angeles Angels’ lineup on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays before being removed from the game after six innings because of soreness in his right knee.
Angels manager Ron Washington, however, insisted it was a precautionary move and said he fully expects the catcher to be back in the lineup Tuesday when the teams meet again in Anaheim, Calif.
O’Hoppe has had a successful season overall and received All-Star Game consideration last month. He has slumped lately, though, and is focusing on trying to figure out why.
Washington said he thinks he knows, even though O’Hoppe disagrees. O’Hoppe, who went 0-for-2 on Monday in Los Angeles’ 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays, is hitless in his past 24 at-bats. The slump began shortly after his move to the third spot in the batting order. He hit fifth in the order most of the season.
“I’m just seeing him try to do too much,” Washington said. “The one thing I told him when I put him in the third hole is don’t change what you’ve been doing.
“It looks like he’s trying to do damage. And a kid like him doesn’t have to try to do damage. Just got to get his bat head on the ball. And I’ve been telling him that. Just put your bat head on the ball. Damage will happen.
O’Hoppe countered Washington’s analysis.
“You get hits and everyone says you’re fine,” O’Hoppe said. “If you don’t and it’s tied with moving up in the order, everyone’s gonna say that you’re trying to do too much. That’s not it at all. It’s just a tough stretch. It would be the same if I was hitting fifth or ninth.”
In nine games hitting third, O’Hoppe is 2-for-34 (.059) with 14 strikeouts, no RBIs and no extra-base hits. Slump or not, Washington said he would continue slotting O’Hoppe third in the order, simply to prepare him for a high-profile spot for the duration of his career.
“Sometimes you can’t stop them from getting inside of themselves and you have to go through it,” Washington said. “And right now he’s going through it. I’m not gonna remove him from the third hole, so he’s gonna have to learn or he won’t get to hit in the third hole in the future.”
Assuming O’Hoppe is back in the lineup on Tuesday, he will be catching Angels right-hander Carson Fulmer (0-2, 3.74 ERA). After making 24 relief appearances this year, Fulmer has started in his past five outings, going 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA.
In his lone career appearance vs. Toronto, a start in 2018, Fulmer gave up three runs (two earned) in five innings during a no-decision.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman (10-8, 4.42 ERA) will get the ball for Toronto. He is 4-3 with a 4.42 ERA in nine career starts against the Angels.
While the Blue Jays find themselves in last place in the American League East, first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continues to thrive, especially of late.
Guerrero went 0-for-4 against Oakland on Sunday, ending a 22-game hitting streak that matched his career best. During the streak, Guerrero hit .494 (40-for-81) with 10 homers, 22 RBIs and a 1.583 OPS.
He bounced back on Monday, going 2-for-4 with a walk.
“He’s not giving at-bats away. That’s what separates good from great,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “There are times that could be easy to do. He’s taking his walk or not chasing. He’s swinging at pitches he should swing at and laying off tough pitches. The way he approaches every single at-bat is what goes unnoticed. You’re watching a really great player figure some (things) out right now.”
–Field Level Media