ANAHEIM — A recent hot streak at the plate combined with his continued proficiency behind it will earn 36-year-old catcher Travis d’Arnaud more playing time and struggling 25-year-old catcher Logan O’Hoppe more time on the bench.
“You can’t deny what he’s done offensively, and what he brings to the pitching staff is immeasurable,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said of d’Arnaud. “So as we roll into the [All-Star] break, getting each of them playing time is important.”
O’Hoppe has started 60 of 93 games – roughly two-thirds – behind the plate, and d’Arnaud has made 33 starts.
Their overall offensive numbers are comparable, though O’Hoppe, who entered Thursday with a .229 average, .690 OPS, 17 home runs, four doubles and 37 RBIs, has hit for more power than d’Arnaud, who entered Thursday with a .228 average, .693 OPS, six homers, eight doubles and 16 RBIs.
Both have high strikeout rates (33.9% for O’Hoppe; 32.2% for d’Arnaud) and low walk rates (3.5% for O’Hoppe; 4.8% for d’Arnaud).
d’Arnaud rates higher than O’Hoppe in pitch-framing and pitch-blocking metrics, and Angels pitchers have a 4.32 ERA in the 296 innings they’ve thrown to d’Arnaud compared to a 4.75 ERA in the 521 innings they’ve thrown to O’Hoppe.
But d’Arnaud has wielded the hotter bat of late, hitting .350 (7 for 20) with a 1.281 OPS, three home runs, two doubles and six RBIs in his past five games entering Thursday.
He hit a two-run homer off of Texas Rangers All-Star right-hander Jacob deGrom and a game-tying RBI double in the sixth inning of a 6-5 Angels win on Monday night, and he had two hits, including a homer, in Wednesday night’s 11-8 win.
“I think I’ve had enough at-bats, and my approach is really simple, where I’ve had four games off, played the next day and had a couple hits,” d’Arnaud said. “I’ve also had four games off and gone 0-fer. So I just try to be consistent, stay calm and have a slow heartbeat. That’s all I focus on, really.”
While d’Arnaud will play more, he is not expected to displace O’Hoppe as the primary catcher. d’Arnaud is the second-oldest catcher in baseball behind San Diego’s Martin Maldonado (38), and the Angels don’t want him to wither under the physical demands of the position.
They want to find that sweet spot of playing d’Arnaud enough to keep his rhythm at the plate and rapport with pitchers but not so much that he’ll wear down.
“That’s communication, conversation,” Montgomery said. “He’s very up front about that. He’s a professional. He knows when he needs a day or if he’s good to go. You have to be careful, especially at the point of the season where we’re at right now, we’re grinding, coming up on 100 games.”
The 6-foot, 210-pound d’Arnaud doesn’t want the kid-glove treatment, though. The 13-year veteran started 79 games at catcher in 2024 and 99 games in 2022 for the Atlanta Braves.
“I mean, 80 games compared to what Cal Raleigh is doing is nothing,” d’Arnaud said, referring to the Seattle star who has started 69 of the Mariners’ 93 games behind the plate and 21 at designated hitter.
“I’m just going to keep preparing my body and being ready. I feel good. It’s still fun. I still enjoy it. I love calling games and getting guys out more than anything. I think that’s why I still catch.”
ANGEL IN THE OUTFIELD?
Mike Trout has made all 36 of his starts since returning from a left knee injury in late-May at DH, but neither he nor the Angels have given up on a return to right field for the three-time American League MVP.
Trout will resume outfield drills after the All-Star break, and the Angels hope to ease him back with regular DH days between outfield starts.
“I think Mike is better when he’s participating in the field,” Montgomery said. “When you’ve played as much and as good as he has defensively, to be relegated to DH is tough. It’s a hard adjustment, but he’s done a really good job of it. I think the four days off during the break are tied into this. That should really help him.”
ALSO
With left-hander Patrick Corbin starting for Texas in Thursday night’s series finale, Montgomery gave left-handed-hitting first baseman Nolan Schanuel, who has some calf tightness, the night off.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks (RHP Ryne Nelson, 5-2, 3.39 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 2-6, 4.19 ERA), Friday, 6:38 p.m., Apple TV+, 830 AM