The Angels announced that they have selected the contract of catcher Omar Martínez. He’ll take the active roster spot of fellow backstop Travis d’Arnaud, who has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right foot plantar fasciitis, retroactive to May 7th. The Halos have had an open 40-man roster spot since Nick Sandlin was designated for assignment earlier this week, so Martínez can fill that vacancy without a corresponding move. Movimiento Aguilucho reported on the Martínez promotion prior to the official announcement.
Martínez, 24, was an international signing of the Yankees out of Venezuela back in 2018. Last year, he climbed from High-A to Double-A and then Triple-A, though with declining results as he moved up. He had a .231/.337/.377 line when first promoted, then hit .212/.281/.376 and .200/.307/.280 at the next two stops. He struck out in 42% of his Triple-A plate appearances.
He became a minor league free agent at season’s end and signed with the Halos. He’s been with Triple-A Salt Lake so far this year, having produced a .212/.307/.424 line while striking out at a 34.7% clip.
The crew from Anaheim began the 2026 season with a catching tandem consisting of Logan O’Hoppe and d’Arnaud. They’ve lost both of those backstops in the span of a couple of weeks. O’Hoppe was hit on his wrist by a foul ball on April 25th. He suffered a fracture and was placed on the IL, with the Angels selecting Sebastián Rivero to take his place on the roster. Rivero has a .182/.231/.218 line in his big league career and a .248/.296/.369 slash at the Triple-A level.
It’s a tough spot for the Angels. Just about any club would be challenged by losing their top two catchers, forcing them to rely on two depth options. But the Halos came into the year needing a lot to break right in order for them to compete. They’re not having much luck so far, currently sporting a 15-23 record which has them tied with the Astros for worst in the American League. Almost the entire A.L. is floundering, so the Halos are technically only three games out of a playoff spot, but it’s going to be tough to gain ground with O’Hoppe, d’Arnaud, Yusei Kikuchi, Robert Stephenson and others on the IL.
For Martínez, it’s surely a thrill to get to the big leagues after almost a decade in the minors. He’ll be making his big league debut as soon as he gets into a game. He has a full slate of options and could be sent back down to the minors easily. The Halos will probably be on the lookout for more catching depth, given their current situation. The Athletics designated Austin Wynns for assignment yesterday, so perhaps the Halos will look to trade for him or grab him from waivers. Reese McGuire elected free agency a couple of weeks ago, so that’s another option.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
