Jo Adell focused on making the most of his opportunity back in big leagues
Jo Adell just wants to do the best he can with this opportunity.
“How many ever times I get put out there, whether it’s a pinch-hit, whether it’s a start, whatever it is, I’m gonna try to help the team win,” Adell said before the Angels’ 3-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday at Angel Stadium.
The Angels outfielder was sent to triple A to start the 2023 season. He was called back to the major leagues on Wednesday, a late scratch from a start with the Salt Lake Bees, after Hunter Renfroe went on the paternity list for the birth of his first child. Adell started Thursday’s game at right field and batting sixth.
Adell, however, might not be with the big league team for long this time, with Renfroe expected back on Saturday — to reassume his position at right field. Manager Phil Nevin acknowledged a decision on Adell would need to be made by then, but was still excited to watch him play on Thursday. Adell recalled that conversation with Nevin.
“I’m not trying to force a hand or try to make something that’s not going to be,” Adell said. “Every chance that I get, I’m gonna try to make it the best I can.”
Adell mashed the second pitch of his first at-bat 117.2 miles per hour off the bat, 451 feet into the stands beyond the left field corner. The solo shot tied the score 1-1 in the second inning. It was the hardest-hit ball by an Angels player this season.
The Angels celebrated Pride night on Wednesday at Angel Stadium, which included a pageantry and an appearance by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
“You don’t see many come close to that second deck,” Nevin said.
Nevin also expressed confidence in the depth Adell provides for the Angels.
“If something happens to somebody, we know that [Adell] can come up here and do good things for us,” Nevin said. “This is where our roster is right now. And I’m not to going to say he’s leaving tomorrow or the next day.
“Certainly that home run he hit for us was a big shot in the arm for everybody.”
Adell and Mickey Moniak were at the end of the outfielder pecking order when the Angels left Tempe, Ariz., for the spring. General manager Perry Minasian made sure to fortify depth among the position players in the offseason to help keep a healthy cast of bona fide major league players on the field. Renfroe and Brett Phillips were the two offseason outfielder pickups. Luis Rengifo, as well, continued to strengthen his utility abilities, improving at playing in the outfield, as well.
Meanwhile, Adell and Moniak made their own strides in triple A. After Phillips was designated to Salt Lake City and Jared Walsh was activated off the injured list in the middle of May, Moniak was the next man up. His impressive feats at triple A so far have translated to several big time defensive plays, including a home run robbery, and batting .304 with a .982 on-base-plus-slugging rate.
Adell has also made plenty of noise in Salt Lake City, particularly with his power bat, with which he’s racked up 18 home runs. Through it all, Adell continued to work, mentally focused on competing with himself.
“I’m playing a game of me versus me,” Adell said. “I go out and every opportunity I get, I try to compete and see how much better I can be, whether it’s practice, weight room stuff, out on the field during the game.”
On specific aspects of his game he worked on in triple A, Adell has played all three outfield positions, including center field, which he’s done more of this year compared to previous seasons. The regular repetitions and reads have made him feel more comfortable in his defense in the outfield.
He also said that down in triple A, his goal was to work on his base running and his jumps in the outfield, both of which he said he has seen improvement with.
Jaime Barría pitched five solid innings, giving up two earned runs and three hits as the Angels take the series from the Chicago Cubs with a 6-2 win.
Coming into his first game back in the big leagues, Adell — who has not had a complete season in the majors since making his debut in August 2020 — said he felt as prepared as he had in the past.
“Every time you come out here, you can’t feel like you’re not ready,” Adell said.
The Closer
Carlos Estévez became the first Angels pitcher since Troy Percival (2001) to convert his first 16 saves of the season, when he retired all three Cubs batters he faced. Lee Smith holds the Angels record for most consecutive saves to start a season, 19, in 1995.
“I feel amazing,” Estévez said. “And knowing how many chances I have got to go out there and get a save, it feels really good doing it with this team.”
Estévez said he did not know at first that he had reached a milestone last accomplished by Percival, who he met in Tempe when the World Series-winning reliever attended Angels spring camp as a special guest. The Angels told Estévez the significance of his last out.
“Once they told me that, it just came to my mind the funny conversations [Percival and I] had in spring training,” Estévez said. “Him telling me, like, ‘I’ve seen you pitch, kind of old school’ … I want to see what he’s going to say.”
Go beyond the scoreboard
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