The Los Angeles Angles have had a tricky situation at the catcher position this season and it all dated back to when Logan O'Hoppe had to take on a huge role to start due to Matt Thaiss being sidelined for family reasons.
O'Hoppe surprised many as he looked super comfortable in that position from day one and slashed .283/.339/.547 with four home runs in just 16 games. Unfortunately, he went down with a torn labrum and will miss the rest of the 2023 season.
But luckily for the Halos, Thaiss has recovered from a slow start and been able to finally up his production. On top of that, Chad Wallach was added to the roster and immediately made his presence felt.
He has been electric whenever he's stepped up to the plate in 2023. In 11 games with the Halos, he is currently slashing .314/.333/.600 and has three home runs already. He has been a big reason as to why LA has been able to keep up with majority of the teams they've faced.
“The biggest thing is just giving myself time to hit,” Wallach said. “Just getting started early enough. That’s the thing that I focus on mostly. It sounds super simple, but the more time you have to hit, the better you’re going to see the ball.”
(Via OC Register)
Team manager Phil Nevin also highlighted his ability on the defensive side of things.
“He’s one of the best defenders in baseball,” Nevin said. “He handles pitchers well, runs our pitching meetings in there like you have another coach. He understands what hitters are doing.”
(Via OC Register)
We are hoping to see more electric play from Wally moving forward!
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