BOSTON — Jo Adell is again having one of those moments that provides some hope that he’s figuring out what it takes to be successful in the majors.
The Angels outfielder hit two home runs on Monday night. He’s hit .306 with a four homers and an OPS of 1.099 in his last 11 games.
The hot streak has brought his season batting average up to .215 and his OPS to .714. The major league average OPS is .711.
Adell, a 26-year-old former top prospect, has had other stretches of success – most notably last summer after dropping his leg kick – but his overall career average still sits at .212 with an OPS of .658.
This hot streak, he said, is about being aggressive at the plate.
“When pitches have showed up that I think I can do damage with, I’ve attempted to do so, just continue to be aggressive and put off my swing,” Adell said.
Both of Adell’s homers on Monday were on the first pitch. He’s hit seven of his nine homers on the first pitch. His average on the first pitch this season is .414, with an OPS of 1.640.
Early in Adell’s career, he struck out too much and walked too little. As he tried to correct that, he got away from his strengths. Trying to be too disciplined at the plate led him to too many deep counts.
It’s counterintuitive, but he said a simpler, swing-first approach actually leads to better swing decisions.
“The more aggressive I’ve been, I’ve actually been able to take other pitches, because I’m not overthinking it when I’m aggressive in the zone,” he said. “I think if you’re trying to guess at the plate and trying to look a little too close, you let pitches go by that you shouldn’t.”
This season, Adell has seen 3.67 pitches per plate appearance, which is the lowest figure of his career. His 25% strikeout rate is also his lowest since 2021. Over the 11-game hot streak, he’s struck out in just 21% of his plate appearances, which is slightly better than the major league average.
“We talk about finishing the at-bat when it should be finished,” Adell said. “It’s kind of like our thing. I think I’ve done a better job of kind of ending the at-bat when I’m supposed to, when I get something over the heart of the plate, it’s good enough to take a swing, and I think I’ve done a pretty good job of doing that to this point.”
Adell also has a new defensive role. He began the season as the Angels’ center fielder, but he struggled and was moved to right once Mike Trout’s injury opened that position for him. Now Trout is back, which means Jorge Soler is going to be in right when Trout is the DH, and Trout will be back in right when he’s ready.
Manager Ron Washington said he’s going to give Adell some runway to get comfortable in center.
“We don’t have anybody pushing him center field,” Washington said. “We had to push him back in center field. We are making certain his focus stays where it’s supposed to be and he does what he’s supposed to do. If there’s any time there’s any let up, we’re going to let him know about it.”
MOVED UP
Trout was moved into his familiar No. 3 spot in the lineup, after a hot start in his first few games off the injured list. Washington said over the weekend he wanted Trout to hit fifth or sixth until he got comfortable, because he hadn’t had any live at-bats during the month he was on the injured list.
After Trout had three hits and a home run in the No. 5 spot on Monday, Washington said he was inclined to leave him there because he was doing so well.
But when the lineup was posted on Tuesday, he’d changed his mind.
“When I was making the lineup out last night, I realized that he’s played four games, he’s gotten eight hits, he’s driven in five runs, so I decided that we needed to get that bat to the plate as often as we can,” Washington said. “I figure at third, we can constantly get him at-bats and get that bat going. Since it’s already going, to get him as many plate appearances as we possibly can.”
Trout dismissed the notion that he was hitting well because he was comfortable in the No. 5 spot. He said on Monday night his swing is dialed in because of the work he did while he was injured.
“I obviously like hitting at the top of the lineup, for sure,” Trout said on Tuesday.
SPREAD THE WORD
A day after the Angels became the first visiting team in the 114-season history of Fenway Park to hit three homers in the first inning, Adell said it was the result of good communication.
Adell hit the third of the homers against Boston starter Richard Fitts, batting in the No. 7 spot. Zach Neto hit a homer out of the leadoff spot, and then Trout hit a homer in the No. 5 spot.
“We really passed information along really well in the first inning about what guys were seeing at the plate,” Adell said. “As each hitter got up, they were more and more comfortable adjusting. (Taylor Ward) passed some good information along to me before I came up, which really helped me in the first. That’s what it’s about. It’s about getting information and, you know, dialing in the approach, because we all can hit the ball, but it’s just about what you’re looking for and how you’re attacking the at-bat.”
Adell said he wasn’t referring to pitch tipping.
“Just what guys are seeing at the plate, what the ball is doing,” he said. “Just those things to try to get the advantage of seeing it before you see it.”
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP José Soriano, 4-5, 3.41 ERA) at Red Sox (RHP Lucas Giolito, 1-1, 4.78 ERA), Wednesday, 10:35 a.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM