ANAHEIM — The Angels have been plagued by injuries this season but are welcoming back two players this weekend who are a crucial part of the team’s future plans.

The team announced that starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez will be activated from the 15-day injured list on Sunday to make his Angels debut against the Dodgers and catcher Logan O’Hoppe was activated from the 10-day IL on Friday after missing nearly three weeks.

Rodriguez, 26, was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles this winter in exchange for longtime Angels outfielder Taylor Ward. Rodriguez was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation at the end of spring training and was experiencing what Manager Kurt Suzuki called “dead arm.”

Rodriguez made two rehab starts in the minor leagues and most recently pitched for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday, when he allowed two runs in 4⅔ innings with 11 strikeouts.

“I felt great,” Rodriguez said. “Being back in the minor leagues was cool. You kind of remember where you came from a bit. It was a lot of fun to get out there on a mound and see hitters in a game setting.”

Rodriguez said he has felt ready to return to the Angels and called General Manager Perry Minasian after his start on Sunday to say he was ready to go.

“You lay out a rehab program, see the calendar and you kind of have to meet some of the expectations and there’s a lot of trust there,” Rodriguez said. “I know when I’m ready so (it was) just giving Perry a call saying, ‘let’s do this.’ Them being right there behind me and ready to do it was awesome.”

Rodriguez has not pitched in a major league game since July 31, 2024, with the Orioles. He went on the injured list for the remainder of the 2024 season with lat discomfort and began the 2025 season on the IL with right elbow discomfort. Rodriguez received a cortisone shot but remained on the IL until he underwent elbow debridement surgery in August.

When the Angels informed him he would be returning to start on Sunday, Rodriguez said it felt like the end of a nearly two-year journey.

“I’ve been wanting to hear those words for awhile,” Rodriguez said. “It was a tough road for sure. Rehab, there’s a lot of dark days with that and for a little bit just wondering why certain things kept happening. Getting to this organization, working with this medical staff, we were kind of able to put a thumb on it and get after what needed to be better.”

Rodriguez was very good for the Orioles in 2024 prior to the injury with a 13-4 record, a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 116⅔ innings. He started a playoff game for the Orioles in 2023.

“This whole process, talking to him, seeing his mentality pick up as the rehab process went on, you could tell that he was getting more and more excited and feeling better and better,” Suzuki said. “We couldn’t be more excited to have him. This is what we envisioned, having Grayson with us.”

O’Hoppe, 26, suffered a left wrist fracture after being hit by a foul ball. He played in three minor-league rehab games this week and said he felt ready to return.

O’Hoppe spent less time on the IL than what is typically expected for someone with a wrist fracture, but he said he feels great despite having a wrapping on his left wrist.

“I feel great. The games were good this week and I’m ready to go,” O’Hoppe said. “I don’t know if I’d tell Frosty (Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad) this but whatever timeline the doctors say, I cut it in half, hope for the best and do what I need to do.”

O’Hoppe struggled prior to the injury with a .579 OPS, but he is a welcome return to an Angels’ lineup that was also missing backup catcher Travis d’Arnaud (on the IL with right foot plantar fasciitis).

Sebastian Rivero has been the team’s starting catcher since the d’Arnaud injury with some appearances from rookie Omar Martinez, who was optioned on Thursday. Rivero has an OPS of .352 and Martinez went 1 for 3 in five games.

“The guys we had did a nice job, but anytime you get a guy like O’Hoppe back, have some stability with the pitchers and having his bat back in the lineup, I’m excited,” Suzuki said.

INJURY UPDATES

Right-handed reliever Ben Joyce underwent an MRI on his shoulder and the results showed no structural damage. He was scratched from his minor-league rehab assignment last Sunday. Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May of 2025.

Drew Pomeranz was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday with left elbow inflammation. He said the injury doesn’t feel significant and he hopes to return after his 15 days on the IL.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (LHP Justin Wrobleski, 5-1, 2.42 ERA) at Angels (RHP Jose Soriano, 6-2, 1.66 ERA), Saturday, 6:38 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM