Angels News: Logan O’Hoppe Explains How He’s Adjusted to New Starting Role

Things are slowing down for the young catcher

Your Los Angeles Angels are coming off a series win against their division rival Oakland Athletics. LA fell in their opening day game but recovered in the next two games taking the series 2-1. 

Angels superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani did their thing as always, but an unexpected player who has stepped up thus far is catcher Logan O'Hoppe. 

This is O'Hoppe's first real shot in his major league career, and he is already making the most of it. The crazy thing about it is that you wouldn't have known it if you were to see his first three games of 2023. 

The 23-year-old told Angels insider Sam Blum that he's getting used to the game little by little. 

“Opening Day was quick, and I think (Saturday) coming in, it slowed down for me,” O’Hoppe said. “(Sunday) felt like just another game. I think I’m getting used to the environment, getting used to the third deck. All that stuff. I’m really excited because I feel like my heart rate is a little slower.”

O'Hoppe was phenomenal in the opening series as he had four hits, six RBIs, one double, and two runs, and he hit his first career home run on Sunday. Although this may be new for some Angel fans and most of the MLB world, this isn't new for the young catcher. 

O'Hoppe did this all the time in the minor leagues, as he hit 50 homers and had an average of .276 with 183 RBIs. It's safe to say that those minor-league stats will stay the same as things look great for him in the major leagues. 

It's too early to say that O'Hoppe will keep it up, but if he becomes a threat in the lineup, the Angels will be a playoff team. This was a great opening for him, and we're excited to see if he can sustain his performance.