Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe made his major league debut during their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels third baseman Matt Duffy throws to first for an error on a single by the Oakland A’s Tony Kemp, who advanced to second base, during the first inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
The Oakland A’s Conner Capel hits an RBI single during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
The Oakland A’s Tony Kemp scores a run past Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe during the first inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Oakland A’s starting pitcher Adrian Martinez throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Oakland Athletics second baseman Jordan Diaz throws to first to get the Angels’ Luis Rengifo on a ground ball out during the first inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani grounds out to during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani grounds out to during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani gives first base umpire Malachi Moore a safe sign, but the umpire calls Ohtani out on a ground ball to Oakland A’s shortstop Nick Allen, not pictured, during the first inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe stands at the plate during his Major League debut against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe singles for his first major league hit during the third inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe singles for his first major league hit during the third inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe singles for his first major league hit during the third inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe singles for his first major league hit during the third inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe runs to first base after getting his first major league hit during the third inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels rookie Logan O’Hoppe smiles at first base after getting his first major league hit during the third inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Mike Trout watches the flight of his solo home run during the fourth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Oakland Athletics center fielder Seth Brown leaps but cannot catch a ball hit for a home run by the Angels’ Mike Trout during the fourth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, left, celebrates with Mike Trout, center, after Trout’s solo home run with Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy looking away during the fourth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, right, hits a single to right field during the fourth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani smiles after hitting a single to right field while next to Oakland A’s first baseman Stephen Vogt, left, and first base coach Damon Mashore during the fourth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, left, scores on a single by Matt Thaiss, as Oakland A’s catcher Sean Murphy looks on during the fourth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, looks up with Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy as Ohtani flies out during the fifth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels interim manager Phil Nevin, right, and a trainer check on Mickey Moniak, left, after Moniak was injured fouling a ball off during the sixth inning of a game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe made his major league debut during their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Aaron Loup throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the sixth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe made his major league debut during their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Jose Quijada throws to the plate during the seventh inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, strikes out swinging during the seventh inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, left, celebrates with relief pitcher Jimmy Herget after the final out of their 4-1 victory over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, left, celebrates with relief pitcher Jimmy Herget after the final out of their 4-1 victory over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, left, celebrates with catcher Logan O’Hoppe after the Angels defeated the Oakland A’s, 4-1, on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
ANAHEIM — The Angels got their first look at the player they expect to be their catcher of the future.
Logan O’Hoppe made his big league debut in the Angels’ 4-1 victory over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night.
O’Hoppe singled in his first trip to the plate, which was his only hit of the night, and he handled five pitchers who combined to give up just five hits, with 11 strikeouts.
“It definitely exceeded my expectations,” O’Hoppe said after the game, with the lineup card and the ball from his first hit sitting on his chair as mementos.
Manager Phil Nevin said that O’Hoppe “did a phenomenal job” behind the plate and “on the offensive side, he looked good.” Starter Michael Lorenzen said O’Hoppe was “great” with the game plan.
Although O’Hoppe’s performance was the main attraction in the Angels’ 155th game of a forgettable season, they won because of the pitching and just enough offense, with Mike Trout providing his 38th homer as part of a three-run fourth and Taylor Ward belting No. 22 for insurance in the eighth.
The biggest negative of the game was that Mickey Moniak came out after getting hit in the left knuckle by a foul ball in the sixth. X-rays were negative, so he’s day to day. Moniak was visibly upset as he walked off the field. This year Moniak has already suffered a broken right hand, at the end of spring training with the Philadelphia Phillies, and a fractured left middle finger, in his first few days with the Angels.
“It’s just been a long year,” Moniak said. “Luckily it’s not broken. I should be able to come back from it. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”
Moniak came to the Angels in one of two trades with the Phillies at the deadline. O’Hoppe came in the other deal, for Brandon Marsh.
The 22-year-old immediately became the top prospect in the Angels’ system, and he didn’t disappoint in his first two months. He torched pitchers at Double-A to the tune of a .306 average and a 1.147 OPS, with 11 home runs, in 29 games after the trade.
That was apparently enough for the Angels to believe he deserved a cameo in the big leagues at the end of the season.
Batting eighth, O’Hoppe lined a clean single up the middle, after falling behind, 0-and-2, in his first major league plate appearance.
“I chased those two sliders, and then then I realized there was no clock anymore and I can take my time,” O’Hoppe said, referring to the pitch timer used this year in the minors. “So I stepped out and kind of caught my breath. That definitely helped. I think that helps in all aspects of the game, knowing that there wasn’t that clock and I could take my time if I needed to.”
In the fourth, he grounded out to shortstop. He struck out in the sixth, leaving the bases loaded.
As for his work behind the plate, the A’s stole two bases against O’Hoppe. On one, he bobbled the ball and couldn’t get off a throw. He made a nice play in the seventh, pouncing on a bunt and throwing to third to get a force.
O’Hoppe handled Lorenzen for five innings, and then lefty Aaron Loup, righty Jaime Barria, lefty José Quijada and righty Jimmy Herget.
Angels optimistic about core of young starting pitchers
Lorenzen said he and O’Hoppe spent about three innings of Tuesday’s game watching together and going over how Lorenzen would attack various hitters and situations. O’Hoppe then watched the video of Lorenzen’s last start.
“He came prepared today,” Lorenzen said. “I didn’t feel like we were ever out of whack. We were always on the same page. … He never lost composure. I thought that was a huge thing. I think the game stayed slow for him tonight.”
Lorenzen struggled through the first inning, throwing 34 pitches and allowing a run, but he and O’Hoppe worked through the next four without giving up anything else.
While it was O’Hoppe’s first game wearing an Angels uniform at Angel Stadium, it might have been Lorenzen’s last. A free agent at the end of the season, Lorenzen has just one start left – next week at Oakland. The Orange County native has a 4.52 ERA after 17 starts and 91-2/3 innings.
“I hope tonight wasn’t my last one at home in an Angels uni,” Lorenzen said. “I would love to play here for as long as I possibly can, for sure.”
