Angels rest O’Hoppe as d’Arnaud starts behind the plate against the Tigers
O’Hoppe will not be in the Angels’ starting lineup for Saturday’s game with Detroit, as he gets a breather after starting the last three contests. Travis d’Arnaud is set to start behind the plate and bat eighth.
The shift comes as O’Hoppe has cooled off after a productive stretch post-All-Star break, going 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts over his past four games, lowering his recent output despite solid performance earlier in the resumed slate.
This kind of lineup move is common in MLB to manage workload and give a hitter a reset when they’re in a slump, while leveraging a veteran backstop like d’Arnaud to guide the pitching staff and provide a reliable presence at the plate.
What to watch: whether O’Hoppe returns energized after the breather and helps jump-start the Angels’ lineup, and how d’Arnaud performs behind the plate in this setting.
Additional notes and context:
– The rest could help O’Hoppe reset mechanically and mentally as the team navigates a critical stretch.
– D’Arnaud’s experience behind the plate may provide stability for the Angels’ pitchers in a competitive matchup.
Summary: O’Hoppe sits to rest and reset, with d’Arnaud catching and hitting eighth as the Angels take on the Tigers, with the hope that a fresh approach from O’Hoppe follows and helps spark the offense in the coming games.