Rangers recall O'Hoppe, use him as DH
The Texas Rangers recalled catcher Logan O'Hoppe from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday, bringing him back to the majors for the first time in nearly a month. He was inserted into the lineup immediately as the designated hitter, batting seventh.
O'Hoppe was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels, along with reliever Chase Silseth, during the final week of July. While Silseth went straight into the bullpen, O'Hoppe was optioned to the minors for the first time in three years, serving as additional catching depth behind veteran starter Elias Díaz.
In 15 games with Round Rock, O'Hoppe slashed .328/.414/.623 with a 1.037 OPS, a stretch that the 26-year-old said helped restore his confidence after a difficult season.
"Not only was I willing, but 'needed,' is the word I'd use for it," O'Hoppe told The Dallas Morning News. "I wasn't very confident with what I was doing, wasn't convicted in really anything I was doing on the field. But I knew that what I had done in the past was in there. So, when I was told I got optioned, I was excited for it."
He added: "I was actually more excited than if I just came over here. I got that spark back in me, like waking up in the morning and feeling really excited to get to the field again. Enjoying the game again is what I got out of it. That may not sound like a lot on paper, but it's a pretty big deal to me."
O'Hoppe described his time with the Angels as "the hardest four years" of his baseball life, and said he "needed" the change of scenery after not liking "the dude in the mirror." He said he felt lucky to be traded to the Rangers and that everyone in the organization has helped him.
The move also affects O'Hoppe's free agency timeline. Due to time spent in the minors, his service time will fall just short of four years, making him eligible for free agency after the 2029 season.
O'Hoppe's recent struggles and the trade context
O'Hoppe has struggled offensively over the last two seasons following a 20-homer campaign in 2024, according to NBC Sports. He entered this season with a .228/.290/.333 line through 208 plate appearances, and while he had a good two-week stretch in mid-June, the rest of the season has been described as miserable.
A fractured wrist in April seemed to sap his power, and he has also graded out as a below-average defender behind the plate, per NBC Sports. The trade, which was described as a rare interdivisional deal between longtime rivals, sent O'Hoppe and Silseth to Texas in exchange for a couple of low-level prospects, according to NBC Sports.
Silseth, who has a 2.72 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP across 39 2/3 innings this season, went straight into the Rangers' bullpen.
Before the trade, O'Hoppe had been dealing with a head injury. He missed Saturday's game after exiting Friday's contest when he took a foul ball off the helmet and was evaluated for a concussion. He cleared concussion protocol and did not suffer a serious injury, according to NBC Sports. He had also been hit in the head during a home-plate collision the prior Friday against the Rangers.
Roster moves and lineup flexibility
O'Hoppe replaces Jared Kelenic on the roster. Kelenic was designated for assignment for the second time since joining the Rangers organization earlier this year, after hitting .200 with a .533 OPS in 24 plate appearances with Texas, per The Dallas Morning News.
Kelenic is a left-handed hitter, and the Rangers are in need of more offense, especially from the right side. Starting with Sunday's game against the Angels and lefty Yusei Kikuchi, Texas was scheduled to face left-handed starters in four of their next eight games.
Adding O'Hoppe primarily as the DH in that stretch allows the Rangers to move Justin Foscue from DH to second and shift Ezequiel Duran to center in place of lefty-hitting Evan Carter.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said the team is looking for a spark and that O'Hoppe is not bearing all the pressure.
O'Hoppe, who is 26, had a breakout season in 2024 when he hit 20 home runs, according to NBC Sports. He has struggled since, but his recent minor-league production and the Rangers' need for right-handed offense prompted the recall.