This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger’s Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ANAHEIM -- When Jo Adell arrived at Angel Stadium before Monday’s series opener, he accidentally made a wrong turn in the hallway out of habit from his seven seasons playing for the Angels.
But Adell eventually made his way to the visitors’ clubhouse for the first time since being traded to the Guardians for catching prospect Jacob Cozart (ranked No. 22) ahead of the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline and was excited to see several familiar faces.
“It was kind of weird not parking in the players' lot,” Adell said. “I was at Gate A when I came down and made a left instead of a right. So it's a little bit different, but it was cool that I got to see some of the guys, and it’s cool to be back.”
Adell, 27, was in the organization for nearly a decade, as he was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 Draft out of Ballard High School in Louisville, Ky., and quickly became one of the game’s top prospects. He reached the Majors at just 21 years old in 2020. While there were plenty of ups and downs during his time with the Angels, he’s thankful for everything he experienced and the relationships he built.
“I turned into a man and a big leaguer in the Angels organization,” Adell said. “I got a chance to grow up and find who I was as a player. It’s just a full-circle moment to be here and be on the other side and playing this group. But a lot of great memories here and I became the player that I am today in this organization. So, it's pretty surreal to be on the other end.”
Adell, who isn’t a free agent until after next season, said he wasn’t surprised he was ultimately traded by the Angels under interim general manager John Mozeliak. He said he had prepared himself for that possibility even in 2025, when he eventually hit a career-high 37 homers in 152 games.
“It’s one of those things where even last year, there was a chance,” Adell said. “There’s always a chance, especially with teams looking for needs. I knew my name was being thrown around and obviously once it started kind of rolling with getting rid of some players, I knew there was a chance, and when I got the call, it was no secret that I was on the move.”
But where he was when that call came will always be memorable for Adell, who was playing a round of golf with several of his teammates at Mike Trout’s private course, Trout National -- The Reserve. He was one of several players to find out he had been traded while playing, including relievers Brent Suter and Ryan Zeferjahn.
“That golf course is unbelievable, I'll tell you that,” Adell said. “I got through about the eighth hole before I left. So I got my nine holes in before I had to leave. But a pretty good send-off right there.”
Adell has taken his move to a new organization in stride and is enjoying playing for a contending team late in the season for the first time in his career. He’s been off to a strong start but said he hasn’t changed anything mechanically from his time with the Angels.
“The coolest part about being over here is just jumping right in that playoff race,” Adell said. “To step in the middle of a lineup and be a guy that's helping the team do that, I'm really honored and just really glad for the chance to be able to be a part of this.”
Angels players and manager Kurt Suzuki were excited to see Adell but joked they’d rather not see him do any damage against his former club, although he did come through with the go-ahead hit in Monday’s 4-2 loss.
“It’s strange,” Suzuki said. “It looks like he's fallen into a great situation, and you wish him the best. He was such a classy guy, handled everything like a pro. It wasn't always roses for him, and he still came out of it being a pro, and that's something that I appreciated as a teammate and now as a manager.”
It’s not the last of Adell, however, as they are still giving away Adell football jerseys on Sunday and a bobblehead on Sept. 16 against the Mariners to commemorate his iconic three-homer-robbery game.
“It's kind of crazy,” Adell said. “I was kind of glad it didn't get given away while I was here. I feel like that might have been a little weird. But it’s pretty cool that they would recognize that and do that for the fans here in Anaheim.”