The Jo Show Is Back: Jo Adell’s Hot Start Turns Heads
April 17, 2026 - Written by Cruz Cambero
This glove is going to the Hall!
— MLB (@MLB) April 16, 2026
Jo Adell donated the glove he used to rob 3 home runs in a game to the @BaseballHall 🤩 pic.twitter.com/xFeCLYv8Vk
In the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft, the Angels selected Jo Adell with the tenth overall pick out of Louisville. He was touted as a five-tool player and drew comparisons to Byron Buxton. Some outlets even said the Angels had drafted the next Mike Trout. From the beginning, expectations were extremely high.
The move to the major leagues was anything but easy for Adell. He was first called up during the shortened 2020 season and struggled right away, posting a negative 1.4 WAR with a batting average below .200 in just over 120 at-bats. Over the next four seasons, his performance continued to fall short of expectations. Injuries to his oblique in both 2023 and 2024 did not help, and he was constantly moving between Triple-A Salt Lake and the majors.
Defense became another major concern. There were several moments where routine fly balls bounced off his glove and even turned into home runs. Many fans questioned how someone so athletic could struggle so much in the field. The numbers backed it up. In nearly every season, Adell ranked negatively in Run Value, and his Outs Above Average numbers were consistently below zero.
His best season during that stretch came in 2024, when he hit 20 home runs. Even then, his .207 batting average and below-average OPS+ left room for improvement. Still, that season helped set the stage for what was coming next.
Last year, Adell became one of the Angels’ most productive offensive players. His .236 batting average may not stand out, but he finished fourth in the American League with 37 home runs. He also recorded a 1.2 WAR and a 113 OPS+, both above league average. Despite the fact that many people had already lost faith in him and wanted him traded, the underlying numbers revealed a different narrative. His bat speed ranked in the great tier from 2023 through last season and never dropped below the 97th percentile. That, along with his strong exit velocity, fueled his offensive breakout.
Defense, however, was still an issue. Last season marked his worst defensive performance with a negative 13 in outs above average.
Jo Adell robbed three homers tonight 🤯
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2026
Yes, THREE
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/tNSbYYa5de
Then came April 4th of this year…
In the first inning, Adell robbed Cal Raleigh of a home run. In the eighth inning, he did it again in nearly the same spot, this time taking one away from Josh Naylor. That alone was impressive, but he was not finished.
In the ninth inning, with the Angels holding a 1 to 0 lead, J.P. Crawford sent a ball toward the foul line that looked like it would leave the park. Adell tracked it down, reached over the wall, and fell into the stands to make one of the best catches of all time.
Three home run robberies in one game!
He finished with a 1.0 WAR in that single performance while recording just one hit on offense. That one game, WAR was higher than every full season of his career except for last year's. He also made MLB history by becoming the first player to record three home run robberies in a single game and part of the first game ever to feature three total home run robberies.
What makes this even more impressive is what happened the day before, when Adell misplayed a routine fly ball off the bat of Cole Young. That quick turnaround shows his resilience. He has been written off for most of his career, but through hard work and determination, he is now starting to look like the player many believed he could be. His glove from that historic game was hand delivered to the Hall of Fame by Adell during this last series against the New York Yankees. He will now be using the glove he used in 2024 when he was a Gold Glove finalist.
At the plate, he has carried that momentum into this season. He is hitting over .300 with more than 20 hits and a couple of home runs already.
So keep your TV on, because the Jo Show is only getting started!
Disclaimer : (1) Links of players are property of MLB, MiLB, and Baseball Reference. (2) InsideHalos is a fan-made site not affiliated with Angels Baseball.
