WEST SACRAMENTO — Jo Adell knows that defensive ability is not built overnight. Earlier this season, he robbed three home runs in the same game. Just a couple of weeks ago, he also had a ball hit his head and go over the yellow line on the wall in right-center field at Angel Stadium for a home run.
Read more Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani away from team for birth of his 2nd child
After Christian Moore’s two miscues in left field in his season debut on Thursday night, his locker mate Adell was able to offer some advice.
“That type of stuff happens,” Adell said. “You just try to put yourself in the best position to make a play. At times, we don’t. Just really trying to let him know that as he continues to play out there, he’ll understand what’s going on and get better.”
Moore had played just nine games in left field in the minors before Thursday, which was his first game at the position in the major leagues.
Sutter Health Park only has one deck of stands, which allows for more wind to cut through onto the field. Adell called the wind and the ballpark itself a “wild card at times.”
Moore was batting fifth as the team’s DH on Friday.
MADRIGAL’S HOMECOMING
This series against the A’s is a homecoming for Angels infielder Nick Madrigal, who went to Elk Grove High School, about 16 miles from West Sacramento. He said he attended plenty of games at Sutter Health Park during that time, when the Sacramento River Cats were an A’s Triple-A affiliate.
“It seemed like every weekend we’d come out here to try to watch some games,” Madrigal said before Thursday’s game. He then offered proof of his attendance, recalling that he had watched Josh Donaldson play catcher. Donaldson went on to win the 2015 American League MVP award as a third baseman with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“This was always the special stadium where they held big events. There’s so many memories being on this field, to be back with the major league team is pretty special.”
For three years, this is the big leagues, as the A’s have set up camp at the facility before making Las Vegas their permanent home in 2028, and this is the first time Madrigal has played back home since those high school days. He said he expected 10-12 family members and friends to be in attendance.
“There were just so many big league guys that came through, I thought this was the big leagues.”
O’HOPPE ENJOYS KNICKS FROM AFAR
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe grew up going to games at Madison Square Garden as a kid, and still goes to New York Knicks and New York Rangers games during the offseason. While he doesn’t consider himself a diehard Knicks fan, he follows the team and he was plugged into the team’s NBA championship celebration on Thursday morning from 2,800 miles away.
“I think that it just comes with being a New Yorker. You root for the Knicks typically,” said O’Hoppe, who described MSG as “the best place in the world.”
He grew up in the time of Linsanity, when Jeremy Lin captivated the city and Carmelo Anthony was the favorite player of so many New York area kids. These days, Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is the team’s leader, and he reminds O’Hoppe of his favorite baseball player, Derek Jeter.
“Derek Jeter is still my idol today,” O’Hoppe said. “I think there’s a lot to learn from watching how [the Knicks] interact and go about their time with one another. It was really cool for the city.”
INJURY UPDATES
With some of the players on the injured list, Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said he’s going to be using the DH spot to get players a day off in the field or to move them around defensively.
DH/outfielder Jorge Soler (strained oblique) is “getting closer” to a return, Suzuki said.
“He hit BP on the field yesterday and he’s gonna hit BP again today on the field, so I think he’s progressing nicely.” …
Utility man Adam Frazier (elbow inflammation) is also getting closer.
“He was taking ground balls yesterday, so I think it’s getting better,” said Suzuki, who added that he’d like to see Frazier pick up the intensity before they think about adding more to his recovery workload. …
Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz has undergone Tommy John surgery. …
Suzuki was unsure if third baseman Yoán Moncada (knee inflammation) had undergone his surgery yet, but that is still the plan.
UP NEXT
Angels (TBA) at A’s (RHP J.T. Ginn, 5-3, 2.91 ERA), Saturday, 7:05 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM, 710 AM
Read more Thousands converge in downtown Long Beach for USA’s second World Cup appearance