Jo Adells time with Angels might be brief, but hes given team something to consider

June 08, 2024

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Before Jo Adell made his season debut on Thursday night, he had a conversation with Angels manager Phil Nevin.

The talk was about Adell doing what he could to help the team win, and also not trying to do too much. They both understand one unavoidable fact: Adell’s major-league stint this time is likely just three days.

Hunter Renfroe is due back from the paternity list on Saturday. And that will once again mean Adell has no clear spot on the Angels’ roster.

Reading between the lines of how Adell’s conversation with Nevin was described by both parties, the message was about understanding those circumstances.

“I’m not trying to over-force a hand or try to make something that it’s not going to be,” Adell said. “Every chance that I get, I’m trying to make it the best I can.”

Adell’s first chance resulted in him obliterating a high fastball 451 feet down the left-field line. It came off the bat at more than 117 mph, making it one of the hardest-hit balls of the Angels’ season. The homer was critical in the Angels’ 3-1 series-sweeping win over the Cubs.

Jo Adell's homer traveled 451 feet.

It's not easy to pull a ball down the line at that distance. pic.twitter.com/3jrEW1gHOk

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) June 9, 2023

Adell’s time with the Angels since his first call-up in 2020 has been mostly ugly. He has a career .616 OPS in 161 games while striking out nearly 35 percent of the time.

The tools have never been in question. Speed, power and athleticism have made Adell’s highlight tape legitimate. But the stuff that doesn’t make that reel is the reason why he’s been unable to stick.

The organization entered last season believing he was ready to be an everyday starter. The Angles entered this season building a team that no longer had a clear spot for him. They made it clear that his major-league future with the team was incumbent on marked improvement.

But with one swing on Thursday, and one impressive eight-pitch walk, Adell made the most of what might be his only opportunity this go-round. And he’s given the Angels something to think about. The polarizing player with elite potential showcased it again, giving a glimmer of hope that he’s turned a corner.

And that could factor into the equation for the Angels moving forward.

“We’re always looking for our best team out there,” Nevin said. “We know we have somebody if (Renfroe’s) not here. If something happens to somebody, he can come up here and do good things for us. This is where our roster is right now. … Certainly that home run he hit tonight was a big shot in the arm for everybody.”

Nevin and Angels general manager Perry Minasian have praised Adell’s work defensively. Instinctual reads in the outfield have been a challenge for the 24-year-old. That, however, seems to be an area of improvement.

Adell said he’s also worked a lot on his base-running instincts. Specifically, his ability to go from first to third on hits. Adell has ranked in the 98th percentile for sprint speed during his major-league career. It’s never been about speed, but, again, instincts.

Strikeouts and swing selection, however, are still an issue for Adell. He’s striking out 29.3 percent of the time in Triple A. Adell recognizes that swing-and-miss is, and will be, a part of his game. He said in spring he understands that and wanted to work on lifting the ball more so he could do more damage when he does make contact.

But that could be a factor in what’s holding him back.

“Those are things he constantly needs to work on,” Nevin said. “He’s not up there trying to move runners and push the ball to the right side. He hits the ball in the seats. It’s fine to have certain guys like that. You’ve got to play winning baseball as well.”

Nevin said he expected Adell to pick up on that being around this team. And his eighth-inning walk exemplified it. Adell even used similar phrasing as Nevin in describing the plate appearance postgame as “pass(ing) the baton.”

Any improvement for Adell is a good problem for the Angels to have. But it is a problem nonetheless. There is no spot for him on the active roster. Taylor Ward, Renfroe and Mike Trout are going nowhere. Mickey Moniak has held down the fourth outfielder spot. Plus, he provides a lefty bat. That’s why it stands to reason that Adell will be a Salt Lake Bee once again by weekend’s end.

But even if he plays just one game, he acquitted himself admirably. The inflection point for Adell will soon come. There are two obvious routes. With Adell out of options next season and Renfroe a pending free agent, they could keep Adell and make him a starter in 2024.

Or, the Angels could trade him. It’s a massive risk. Selling low on Adell when the potential is so high. Watching him blossom with another organization would be a great thing for Adell, and also a huge indictment of the Angels who have thus far been unable to fully develop his talents.

“Jo’s played well,” Minasian said of Adell in mid-May. “I think there’s been a huge improvement defensively. Offensively, he’s put up numbers. He’s played well there.”

It wasn’t an unfamiliar place for Adell on Thursday afternoon. Taking questions about a call-up. Being asked about the difficulties of proving himself. Questioned whether this will finally be his time.

The unique circumstances of this likely brief call-up make it so that this time isn’t his time. But he’s hoping to show that he’ll someday deserve another.

“I’m a me vs. me thing,” Adell said. “I’m competing against myself. I’m not trying to size up against other players. There’s a lot of good players. Good teams have good players.

“I think for me — wherever my role is, wherever I fit into the mix, I’ll be happy about that. And continue to get better and prove that I belong.”

(Photo of Jo Adell: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today)

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