DENVER -- Could Jo Adell be a solution to a persistent problem the Guardians have had over the past several years?
Cleveland has gotten mediocre power production from its outfielders for the better part of this century, and on top of that, the club’s offense overall has ranked at or near the bottom of baseball in many major categories for much of the 2020s.
But the way Adell has swung the bat since arriving on the scene just prior to the Trade Deadline, perhaps he represents a new hope in the Guardians’ lineup as they seek a third consecutive postseason berth.
Adell launched a mammoth three-run homer in the fourth inning and later singled and scored in the Guardians’ 4-3 win over the Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday night. The victory was Cleveland’s third straight, marking its longest win streak since stringing together four in a row from July 9-12.
“We just haven’t had anybody that can hit the ball like that here in a while,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “ … You know that he’s in the middle of the order and you can’t make a mistake with him. So it brings a power threat every time through.”
With runners at first and second and nobody out in the top of the fourth, Adell broke the scoreless tie by mauling a hanging slider from Colorado starter Gabriel Hughes and depositing it in the left-center-field bleachers for a three-run shot that traveled a Statcast-projected 450 feet.
It was Adell’s fourth home run in 16 games since joining the Guardians, and it pushed his RBI total with Cleveland to 15. That is the most RBIs over a player’s first 16 games with the Guardians since David Murphy’s 15 from March 31, 2014-April 21, 2014.
Last season, Adell hit a career-high 37 homers for the Angels, realizing the slugging potential the Halos saw in him when they selected him 10th overall in the 2017 Draft before he became one of the organization’s top prospects.
Now that he’s with the Guards, he seems to be fitting right in. He speaks with a reverence for the way his new teammates go about their business and what they bring to the ballpark each day.
“The first day I showed up, it was very evident that everybody’s here to do their job and be who they are, nothing more,” Adell said. “And so, to come in with just the focus on winning a ballgame and really nothing else other than that … that’s what we do here.”
What Adell has been doing here is tapping into who he is as a player, and as a result, he’s been a force to be reckoned with in the power department.
From a mechanical standpoint, Adell’s power surge has been a matter of time.
“My timing’s been a little bit better,” he said. “I think there’s been some at-bats before this stretch where I was a little bit behind, kind of missing some of those fastballs and breaking balls. Now I feel like I’m in a spot where I’m getting there and really able to put those swings off and not getting as tied up.”
Given Adell’s promising start in a Cleveland uniform, his new teammates have taken immediate notice.
“It’s been a while since we kind of had that big threat from the right side,” said Steven Kwan. “Lefties, I feel like this year, have always kind of given us a little tussle, and I feel like when he’s up to bat, it’s a home run threat at any point. Not to discount how he does against righties -- he’s been tearing the cover from both sides.”
Saturday’s homer was against a right-hander, but Adell indeed helps Cleveland’s lefty-heavy lineup achieve a bit more balance. He owns a .966 OPS against lefties this year, with 12 of his 20 homers coming against southpaws.
The Guardians hope to see much more of Adell’s power down the stretch, especially since they find themselves in the thick of the pennant chase despite being under .500.
With the White Sox losing on Saturday, Cleveland sits 3 1/2 games behind Chicago in the American League Central and has an identical record to the Rangers, who currently occupy the third AL Wild Card position.
For Adell, who has never played in the postseason, the prospect is tantalizing.
“It’s really been cool to kind of come in and fit in this mold,” he said. “Hopefully we keep this thing rolling and we do what we do.”