O'Hoppe to miss 4-6 months with torn labrum in shoulder

April 23rd, 2023

ANAHEIM -- The promising rookie season of Angels catcher might be over not long after it started. O'Hoppe was diagnosed with a labrum tear in his left shoulder on Sunday, and he is expected to miss 4-6 months.

The Angels put O’Hoppe on the injured list Friday after he left the game in the 9th inning following a single. The injury halts the 23-year-old’s season at 16 games after he was batting .283 with four homers and 13 RBIs -- looking every bit of his top-prospect status.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” O’Hoppe said. “You do everything in your power to make sure it doesn’t happen. One thing I have been telling myself the past couple of days is that sitting around and feeling sorry for myself isn’t going to help any situation.”

O’Hoppe first showed shoulder discomfort in a series at Boston last weekend, and then left Thursday’s road game against the New York Yankees after he went to the ground in pain following a swing.

“Obviously, he’s gotten off to a great start and has a bright, bright future,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “For him and his career, and for us as an organization, the best thing for him to do is to get the thing fixed and get right. He has a chance to be a very good player.”

The Angels acquired O’Hoppe from the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 2 of last year in exchange for outfielder Brandon Marsh. A New York native, O’Hoppe developed as a top prospect after he was drafted by the Phillies in the 23rd round in 2018.