Angels News: Logan O'Hoppe Out for the Year with Shoulder Injury, What Comes Next?

O'Hoppe is hoping to return this season

We learned earlier today that the Angels rookie catcher Logan O'Hoppe will be out for 4-6 months with a torn labrum on his left shoulder. This is the last thing fans were hoping for, and unfortunately, they could be without O'Hoppe for the remainder of the season. 

What a tough blow for #Angels and O’Hoppe. The rookie catcher was very impressive on both sides of the ball in first full MLB season and showed great potential. https://t.co/s3jtHtocpc

— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) April 23, 2023

O'Hoppe initially suffered the injury on Monday in their game against the Boston Red Sox; he left some discomfort but was able to play it out and play the next three games. On Thursday, his shoulder couldn't do it anymore, and he came down in pain as soon as he swung his bat. 

The left shoulder is his non-throwing shoulder; however, LA Times writer Mike DiGiovanna stated a concerning yet valid thought about O'Hoppe and how this injury could affect him in the long run. 

It is much better for #Angels C Logan O'Hoppe in the long run to have torn labrum on left (non-throwing) shoulder, but as former #Dodgers OF Cody Bellinger showed in 2021, it can be pretty difficult as a hitter to return from surgery on on that front shoulder.

— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) April 23, 2023

It is much better for #Angels C Logan O'Hoppe in the long run to have torn labrum on left (non-throwing) shoulder, but as former #Dodgers OF Cody Bellinger showed in 2021, it can be pretty difficult as a hitter to return from surgery on on that front shoulder.

Cody Bellinger had the worst season of his career in 2021 as he was recovering from a shoulder injury. The 2019 NL MVP has career lows in every department as he slashed .165/.240/.302 with a .542 OPS in 95 games. 

Now Mike isn't saying it can happen to O'Hoppe, but it's something that can happen to the 23-year-old. Of course, we hope it doesn't, and he comes back better than ever. Logan is still young and has shown a lot of promise; we wish him a speedy recovery.