Angels' Jo Adell Made Significant Changes Prior to Early-Season Breakout

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 26, 2024

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

During the first week of the season, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell punched an 0-2 pitch to right field to drive in a run. It was a productive out to opposite field which showed significant progress from the previous season.

“Absolutely,” Adell said, recalling that moment. “Just slow the game down, look at what the situation was. There was a chance to score a run. Whatever the thought process of what I wanted to do personally was out the window at that point.”

How could an out represent progress? Because in years before, Adell was all pull with extremely high strikeout numbers. Before this season he pulled a little more than 43% of his ball in play and has brought that number down to 27.5% this season. His strikeout rate is also down from 35.4% to 23.2%.

It's too early to tell if Adell has truly turned a corner in his career but he is hitting .316 with two home runs and a .925 OPS through 43 plate appearances.

“Huge credit to him,” hitting coach Johnny Washington said. “The hitting staff put together a plan. He embraced it. It’s been a huge change for him. He’s comfortable with it. It’s just about him getting more reps, trying to stay disciplined in the routine and his process. When he gets an opportunity to play, just go in there and win pitches, win at-bats.”

Adell has spent parts of the previous four seasons between the Angels and Triple-A but he is finding himself as a permanent fixture in the Angels lineup this season.

“We haven’t been doing much offensively, and the times that he’s played, he’s done something,” Ron Washington said. “The more you do, the more playing time you get. Right now, he’s getting playing time.”

The only downside to Adell's game this season is his tendency to make outs on the basepaths. He has stolen five bases and been caught four times. He's also overrun bases.

Washington joked that the Angels need to “tie a rope to him,” to keep him from making outs on the bases.

“It’s a learning curve right there,” Washington said. “He’ll get better as we move through the year.”