The Los Angeles Angels announced their official 26-man roster ahead of their regular season opener with the Oakland Athletics, including a few last-minute swaps with Max Stassi and Jared Walsh on the injured list.
Manager Phil Nevin has a buffed group at his disposal this season, and with the additions of Brandon Drury, Gio Urshela, Hunter Renfroe, and Brett Phillips to the mix, the depth in both the infield and outfield should be enough to feel decent as the regular season kicks off.
The Angels officially placed Stassi, who’s dealing with a banged-up left hip, and first baseman Walsh (headaches & insomnia) on the 10-day IL for at least a week as they recover. The corresponding move to supplement the catcher position was to add Logan O’Hoppe to the Major League roster, after debuting with the club late last season.
O’Hoppe has a buzz around him, and being the Angels’ No. 1 prospect, many have sung their praises about the young catcher and his early signs of leadership qualities. The 23-year-old has the most upside of any backstop on the roster, but with a few veteran options in the organization, the front office might have to make the difficult decision to send him down when Stassi returns.
The infield was set prior to the regular season, for the most part, as Jake Lamb was a late addition. The former Diamondback, Dodger and Mariner was signed to a Minor League deal, and with Walsh on the shelf, his left-handed bat could be of use in the lineup in spot duty.
The usual suspects of Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Taylor Ward will anchor the team, and with an incredibly strong performance from Anthony Rendon during Spring Training, there are reasons to have high hopes for his play in 2023.
The bullpen depth is an area to keep an eye on, mostly because the offseason signing of Carlos Estévez is still to be determined because of his inability to find his second-half form from last season. Jimmy Herget was phenomenal during camp, displaying swing-and-miss qualities and everything Nevin expects from his late-inning arms.
Angels Opening Day roster for 2023
Two-way (1): Shohei Ohtani
Starting pitchers (4): Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, José Suarez
Relief pitchers (9): Jaime Barría, Tucker Davidson, Carlos Estévez, Jimmy Herget, Aaron Loup, Matt Moore, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Wantz, José Quijada, Andrew Wantz
Catchers (2): Logan O’Hoppe, Matt Thaiss
Infielders (6): Brandon Drury, David Fletcher, Jake Lamb, Anthony Rendon, Luis Rengifo, Gio Urshela
Outfielders (4): Brett Phillips, Hunter Renfroe, Mike Trout, Taylor Ward
Injured List: Max Stassi (10-Day), Jared Walsh (10-Day), Chris Rodriguez (15-Day), Griffin Canning (15-Day), José Marte (60-Day).
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