Nick Hamilton gets Mike Trout to discuss the impact that manager Ron Washington has had on the team. Trout also addresses the closed-door meeting Washington called after the Angels dropped the first two games of the season.
There’s never been a question about Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell’s talent.
That’s been evident since the Angels made the five-tool player the tenth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Expected to be a cornerstone piece for the Angels along with superstar Mike Trout when drafted, Adell just hasn’t been able to put it altogether. But 2023 was supposed to be the year that he did, and while he’s shown flashes in Triple-A, that hasn’t translated to the majors.
Adell’s inconsistencies this season weren’t about effort or lackluster play, but injuries. The speedy outfielder just finished a 60-day stint on the injured list. The injury occurred just four games into his last call up to the majors in July. Adell had a tremendous opportunity to play every day and earn his keep filling in for superstar Trout who was injured on July 3.
Adell unfortunately suffered another injury to his oblique on July 7, pretty much taking away his opportunity to show he belongs in the majors.
After hitting 23 homers in the first half of the Triple-A season, the belief was Adell was ready to completely turn the corner after years of teasing with his elite skill set, and the injury to the Trout was the perfect opportunity to showcase it. Until it wasn’t.
Upon his return last weekend Adell spoke with reporters about that lost opportunity.
“I think that was the thing that was most disappointing when I got hurt, just knowing you know the roster shrinkage and the players that were already down,” Adell said earlier this week. “It felt like a chance for me to come and really help, with the roster kind of diminishing a little bit.”
Adell says the oblique injury first occurred in 2021, and he tweaked it July 7, 2023. Now having suffered the injury twice in three seasons, he and the Angels are being more cautious as to how they approach it daily.
Adell says he has “a better routine now,” which will help prevent a repeat of the injury. In regard to his mental approach concerning the injury, Adell told reporters this …
“I’m really not worried about it,” he said. “It’s a thing of the past.”
Prior to the 2023 season Angels manager Phil Nevin mentioned that he expected Adell to play a vital role in the team’s success, and while that hasn’t manifested, he’s happy to see him back. Nevin, also told reporters he likes what he sees in Adell’s new approach at the plate, which includes a swing that is no longer just hit-or-miss.
That approach should bode well for Adell’s future with the club which was in doubt for most of this season.
Adell, spent his rehab with Triple-A Salt Lake, adding to his homer mark which now sits at 25. Getting back to MLB shape wasn’t easy. But the real challenge wasn’t the work, it was more about patience he had to have, Adell explained.
“These last couple weeks of rehab, I was getting really antsy,” he said. “I trusted our process of getting back and doing the things we needed to do.”
With the future of superstar Shohei Ohtani up in the air in LA, and Trout’s injury history, the Angels can’t afford to give up on a talent like Adell.
When the Los Angeles Angels sent our MLBbro Jo Adell down to the minors, the franchise had abandoned their four man outfield rotation that included Adell, Mike Trout, Brandon Marsh and Taylor Ward. At that time, the Angels weren’t in disarray and there was hope that the franchise was going in the right direction. With Adell out of the rotation at that time, the team wanted him to get every day reps in the minors so he wouldn’t lose his rhythm at the plate.
“I think for him and his development, just to get regular at-bats, regular defensive reps will help him. He’s come a long way. He’s made a lot of strides. I’m very optimistic at some point this year he’s going to help us win some games. He already has, but I think the regular reps will be important.”
But the story here is how a MLBbro faced adversity and took the challenge to get better when he could have gone another route and demanded a trade. His thoughts on the situation via The Orange City Register when he was demoted showed his character.
“This is a really strong team and these guys are great,” Adell said. “These players out here are unbelievable. And we formed something that’s been a really, really strong unit. And it’s been tough to weave my way into the lineup with the level of play that these guys have right now…
“Joe [Maddon] mentioned in the meeting that playing every third or second day or fourth day or whatever has been kind of tough. Hopefully, me getting back on my rhythm and getting in there every day and kind of just developing more of a routine would probably help me out a little bit more.”
Since the month of July started, this two month experiment has worked to near perfection.
Jo Adell with an RBI double for AAA Salt Lake: pic.twitter.com/JIOJyqkPpq
— Angels MiLB (@AngelsMiLB) July 13, 2022
This hit here was in Adell’s last game in the minors before being called back up the the big club with Mike Trout missing games with a back injury. His opportunity to play in right field will give the Angels fans an opportunity to see his growth in the field as well after struggling at times earlier this season.
But our MLBbro has been on fire since returning to the big leagues at the plate. His first five games had him hitting .471 with 8 hits, knocking in two RBI while scoring a run. His current six game hitting streak has improved his slashes from .231/.242/.431 to his current levels of .258/.283/.416.
Adell now has a big opportunity to show that he can show the consistency to stick on the Angels roster now that the team has lost 14 of their last 20 games. The book on our MLBbro is his shining play in the minors before struggling in the majors.
Despite the inconsistency shown, Jo Adell has unlimited potential which was analyzed by Al Leiter on the MLB Network.
Something Adell believes can help the Angels even though they are struggling at this point and time via The Athletic.
“Obviously I want to be in the big leagues. I want to play, to help the team. … What we’re doing right here, my goal is to help these guys win and continue to improve.
“ I obviously want to be there. That’s the goal, the end goal. So I’ll continue to do what I need to do to make sure that happens.”
Our MLBbro is committed to the Angels organization but the plans of the team are up in the air with the trade deadline coming up in a few weeks. Something Adell is trying to keep out of his mind during this current hot streak.
“I think the reality of it is, there’s a spot in this game everywhere for guys that can play and do it at the level that we do it,” Adell said. “Hopefully it is with this team. I want it to be, obviously. But you never know, you can’t read into the future.”
Even though it’s been peaks and valleys for this MLBbro who was once considered one of the top prospects in the game to build a solid foundation in his early years…
But if he continues to work on his swing that leaves him vulnerable to high speed fastballs and strikeouts, Jo Adell will be one of the few Angels bright spots to finish the season.
It turned out to be a tough week for our MLBbro. Jo Adell was sent down by the Los Angeles Angels to their Triple-A affiliate on Tuesday. Infielder Jose Rojas will take Adell’s roster spot.
The move is considered a mild surprise considering Adell’s 2022 spring training performance was so impressive that the Angels designated Justin Upton to the minors in April. After Upton’s departure, the plan was to have a four-man outfield rotation with Taylor Ward, Brandon Marsh and Adell surrounding Mike Trout in center field.
Adell’s demotion wasn’t about his slow start as much as the outstanding starts of Marsh, and Ward, who just collected an A.L. Player of the Week award. Their production phased out Jo’s opportunity to play.
Our MLBbro obviously was upset, but said he understands that this is the nature of the business via The Orange County Register.
“This is a really strong team and these guys are great,” Adell said. “These players out here are unbelievable. And we formed something that’s been a really, really strong unit. And it’s been tough to weave my way into the lineup with the level of play that these guys have right now. …
“Joe [Maddon] mentioned in the meeting that playing every third or second day or fourth day or whatever has been kind of tough. Hopefully, me getting back on my rhythm and getting in there every day and kind of just developing more of a routine would probably help me out a little bit more.”
Before being designated, Adell slashed .231/.242/.431 (.673 OPS) with three homers at the plate in 19 games. While those numbers aren’t considered bust-worthy, his 24 strikeouts with only one walk in 66 plate appearances will be a point of emphasis in Salt Lake.
But according to the Angels front office, this move is all about Adell. The Angels want him to keep his rhythm by playing every day in Triple A and not being buried on the bench with the big club.
“Wardy has been great, Marsh has played really well and center field is taken by a pretty good player too,” General Manager Perry Minasian said. “I think for him and his development, just to get regular at-bats, regular defensive reps will help him. He’s come a long way. He’s made a lot of strides. I’m very optimistic at some point this year he’s going to help us win some games. He already has, but I think just the regular reps will be important.”
It is clear at this point that the Los Angeles Angels haven’t given up on Adell — and they shouldn’t. The 10th overall pick in the 2017 Draft has only played 92 games over three seasons including the pandemic season in 2020. Why give up on a guy that just turned 23 the day after the season opened?
The most important part of this designation assignment is that both parties are onboard with the future plans of this MLBbro in the minors. Adell will use this as an opportunity to get better according to Sports Illustrated.
“I’m not thrilled about it,” he said. “I mean, I’m not going to throw a parade about getting sent down, but I’m gonna try my best to get back. … I’m not going to hang my head low. I’ve got enough confidence in my game and what I’m capable of to know at some point, my time is gonna come where I’m going to be able to be out here very day and help these guys. And so hopefully I can get back and get myself where the standards are for this club and these guys and be able to come back and help.”
If Adell and his coaches can combine improvement of his offensive and defensive tendencies with his natural abilities — power, speed and arm strength, this MLBbro will be one of the comeback stories of the postseason.
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