South Shore phenoms return to MLB

Two local South Shore phenoms, Greg Weissert and Logan O’Hoppe, are back playing at the Major League level.

Yankees pitcher Greg Weissert, from Bay Shore, and Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, from Sayville, who attended St. John the Baptist, coincidentally were both activated by their Major League clubs on Friday Aug. 18.

O’Hoppe, who grew up a big Yankees fan, made his debut at Yankee Stadium a few months ago on April 18 as the two Long Islanders faced each other at East 161st Street and River Avenue in the Bronx. 

On April 20, when Weissert was pitching and O’Hoppe was batting against his fellow Long Islander, O’Hoppe grounded a single through the left side of the infield, but injured his shoulder on the swing. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed was a torn labrum, but after three and 1/2 months of being sidelined, O’Hoppe returned to the Angels Minor League system and played eight games and had nine hits in 24 at bats, lacing three doubles and scoring seven runs for the A and AAA Angels Minor League affiliates.

Then on Aug. 18, O’Hoppe was behind the plate for all nine innings in the Angels’ 9-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday evening, and was a part of history in the ninth inning as the Angels turned their first triple play since 1997. O’Hoppe tagged out Yandy Diaz at the plate for the third out and it also was the first 6-4-3-2 triple play since 1971 in MLB, which consisted of the ball being thrown from the shortstop to second base to first base and culminating with the catcher. (It had been 52 years since a triple play was turned in that fashion in the Major Leagues).

That same evening, in The Bronx, Weissert returned to the Yankees after spending most of the season with the Yankees Minor League affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. After pitching with the Yankees in the early part of the season, Weissert was optioned to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, then shortly after was promoted back to New York on May 9 and pitched in the ninth inning in a Yankees’ 10-5 victory vs. the Oakland A’s.

The following day, Weissert was optioned back to the RailRiders and during the month of May he pitched nine innings, conceded two earned runs, struck out 14 batters, earned a save and a win with a 2.00 ERA in eight games at AAA. On June 18, Weissert was recalled back to the Yankees for the doubleheader vs. the Red Sox.

At Fenway Park, Weissert pitched 1.1 innings, allowed 0 runs and hits, and struck out two Red Sox in a 6-3 matinee loss to Boston. After pitching in Boston, he returned to AAA, then recently returned to the Yankees last Friday vs. the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Weissert sent the Red Sox down 1,2,3 in the top of the eighth. Triston Casas went down swinging, Trevor Story grounded out to Gleyber Torres, and Jarren Duran flew out to Harrison Bader in center field, completing a perfect eighth.   

In the top of the ninth, Weissert retired the first two batters, then conceded a run on a Rafael Devers’ RBI single, scoring Alex Verdugo, then retired the side after he got Justin Turner to flyout to center.