ARLINGTON, Texas — Ray Montgomery said it was fitting that Jo Adell’s 30th home run of the season came when he was least expecting it.
“I think that’s kind of like the messaging that’s been going to him as long as I can remember, since being here,” the Angels interim manager said on Wednesday. “Listen, all you need to do is make contact with the ball and it’ll go out of any park. So if your thought process is that, just let all the other stuff happen.
“I couldn’t be happier for him. You guys have heard me gush about him. He’s worked his tail off to get to that point, all the rewards of that he should enjoy.”
Adell said after the milestone homer on Tuesday night that he was not happy with at-bats earlier in the game, but in the ninth inning he was determined to focus simply on a good at-bat, not the result.
The result was a number that provided another moment to appreciate how far Adell has come since his early, difficult trips to the majors.
Coming into the 2024 season, Adell had a career major league batting average of .214 with an OPS of .625. Last season he took a step forward, hitting 20 home runs with a .682 OPS, and this season his OPS is .782.
“I think kind of my goal going into the year was I really want to focus on getting the pitches to drive, to really hit well and try to put off my ‘A’ swing as much as I can,” Adell said. “But in the back of my mind, the soft goal was 30. You know, I wanted to get to that number, but there was only one way to really do that, just by making good decisions at the plate and being healthy enough to get the AB’s and being in a lineup.”
Adell and Taylor Ward are now the only duo in the majors to have 30 homers for the same team. That’s fitting because Adell said he’s been following Ward’s example all season.
“To be honest, we show up every day and I’m kind of on his routine, his schedule,” Adell said. “We do what we need to do to get ready to play. I think our goal, more than anything, is just to be available. He’s been a guy that’s been dependable, available, and I want to follow in those steps.”
Adell said he and Ward have had a “friendly home run duel” all season. Asked if he’d like to finish ahead of Ward, he said: “Let’s both tie. How about that?”
Ward, who hit his 30th homer last week, said it’s nice to see Adell – a similar late-bloomer – reach this level. Ward’s breakthrough season came at age 28, in 2022. Adell is 26.
“I think it’s really cool,” Ward said. “It shows all the hard work that we’re both putting in, night in and night out. Super happy for him, and hoping to get to 100 RBIs.”
Torii Hunter, an Angels special assistant who has taken Adell under his wing, was in the ballpark to see the milestone on Tuesday night. Hunter lives in the Dallas area.
“He’s maturing,” Hunter said. “You look at last year and I saw the maturation. Every year he’s getting better and better. He’s still young. In the big leagues he’s getting some time in and learning the league, and the league is learning him, and he’s learning it back. It’s a lot of back and forth. Now I think he’s more comfortable in the big leagues and getting an opportunity to showcase what he can really do.”
NOTES
The Angels optioned right-hander Sam Bachman to open a spot for Jack Kochanowicz, who came up to start on Wednesday night. …
The Angels re-signed right-hander Connor Brogdon to a minor league deal. Brogdon was designated for assignment last week. …
Right-hander Hunter Strickland is “feeling a lot better,” Montgomery said, but he’s still not throwing. Montgomery said there is still a chance that Strickland could be back this season.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 2-8, 4.73 ERA) at Astros (TBD), Friday, 5:10 p.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM