The Los Angeles Angels opened up their third-to-last series of the season on Tuesday night, facing off against the Oakland Athletics. And in a game that could have turned ugly after a three-run Athletics second inning, the Angels clawed back and won thanks largely to Jo Adell.
Adell’s struggles in the Major Leagues have been well-documented up to this point. The 23-year old is batting just .223 with a .625 OPS, down from his already less-than-satisfactory .246/.703 splits from 2021. He has also had difficulties on defense.
But on Tuesday night, Adell played the hero in both phases. Defensively, he robbed Dermis Garcia of a potential go-ahead home run in the fifth inning with the game knotted at three. In the eighth inning — facing the same score — Adell roped an RBI single to left field off of A.J. Puk to give the Angels a 4-3 lead.
After being demoted to a platoon split with Mickey Moniak, Adell has seen a significant downturn in his playing time. He spoke about the lesser role and how his mindset has been affected by it, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com:
“It’s been tough, but it’s one of those things where we’re all working to get better and, for me, I want to be in a situation where I can help as much as I can,” Adell said. “But I’m glad for opportunities like tonight. You wait around for it and look for the opportunity to come in, and make something happen and tonight I was able to do that.”
Angels interim manager Phil Nevin praised Adell for staying ready and being able to contribute when called upon.
“He had a really good game,” Nevin said. “I’ve praised his work in the outfield with Mashore every day. There are a lot of things that are paying off. His first-step quickness is getting better. That was a nice ball he caught tonight and he had a big base hit. It was a really good game for Jo and he hadn’t played in four or five games, either.”
Of course, Adell has shown flashes of good play in the past. But consistency has been a major issue for the third-year former top prospect. As the season winds to a close, he has to find a way to prove he belongs on the Major League roster in 2023.
Adell has been given a number of opportunities to start and earn consistent playing time. Tuesday night was a big step towards the hope of realizing his high potential.
Nevin believes Michael Lorenzen can succeed as a starter
Adell is not the only one trying to earn his place on the Angels’ 2023 roster. Starter Michael Lorenzen — a soon-to-be free agent — has stated his desire to return to the Angels. And Nevin, despite having some doubts about availability, firmly believes Lorenzen can be a Major League starter.
