ANAHEIM -- Angels right fielder Jo Adell worked hard to improve his defensive reputation over the years, including memorably robbing three home runs in one game against the Mariners on April 4.
Adell had the misfortune of making a rare four-base error as a rookie in 2020 when a ball hit off his glove and over the fence for what was initially ruled a homer. And unfortunately for Adell, it happened again on Tuesday, when he had a ball hit off his glove and then off his head for a solo homer from TJ Rumfield in the fourth inning of an 8-2 loss at Angel Stadium.
It was reminiscent of Jose Canseco having a fly ball hit off his head for a home run, and it came close to the anniversary of that May 26, 1993, event.
Adell took ownership of the misplay after the game and was visibly down on himself for what happened.
“I was toward the line and I felt like I had a little bit longer way to go than I normally do on a route like that and just missed it,” Adell said. “It hit off my hat. I don’t know if I overran it and took a step over. But it was kind of the icing on the cake because I was [bad] all the way around the whole day today.”
Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez had just given up a three-run blast to Willi Castro and then served up a deep drive to right-center field to Rumfield on a first-pitch curveball. Adell got back in time to make the play, but the ball glanced off his glove and then his head and over the fence.
Rodriguez, though, took the blame for making a bad pitch to Rumfield and said Adell was just doing his best to try to make the play.
“He robbed three homers in one night this year, so it’s baseball, and it's a crazy game,” Rodriguez said. “Things happen. Obviously, he didn't do that on purpose. All you can do is really just move on.”
At first, Rumfield stopped at second base, but was later credited with a home run after it was determined that the ball had never hit the wall or the ground before it went over the fence. The umpires made the call after meeting at the mound, and a replay review wasn’t needed.
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said he felt for Adell and noted how much better he’s become as a defender over the years, including being named a Gold Glove finalist in right field in 2024. Adell and Suzuki were teammates with the Angels from 2021-22.
“I saw the play, but for me, Jo's made great strides defensively from when I played with him,” Suzuki said. “And obviously, he had the night he robbed three home runs. So I look back at the strides that he's made defensively. It was a tough play tonight, but at the same time, the strides that he's made defensively have been great.”
Adell, who also went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts at the plate, said the only thing he can do is move on after the misplay, but lamented that it inevitably went viral at his expense.
“It's one of those things where how it happened looks crazy,” Adell said. “It looks like I've never played in the field before, which is disappointing, because it's beyond the truth, but it is what it is. I'm the only one that really knows what happened. I was out there, and it happened to me, so it is what it is. I've got to just keep going, and as a team, we've got to keep going.”
It was the last batter for Rodriguez, who scuffled through a rough outing. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits and three walks and gave up three homers, including Rumfield's unique blast. Rumfield, though, played coy after the game and said he didn’t see what happened on the play.
“I just left pitches over the middle,” Rodriguez said. “Being out of the zone isn’t going to set you up for success, and then when you leave it right over the middle on a tee, they’re going to do a lot of damage.”