Angels’ Jo Adell is heating up again after a ‘reset’
DETROIT — Earlier this week, Jo Adell retreated to the batting cage with his headphones and a tee.
He spent 30 minutes simply hitting balls off a tee.
“Just kind of got back in my groove,” Adell said. “I got in there for a reset.”
Three homers later, it seems to have worked. Adell hit .293 with 11 homers and a 1.038 OPS in June, a hot streak sufficient to get him in the All-Star conversation. He followed that by hitting .212 with a .659 OPS in July. That prompted the need for a “reset.”
In the first five games this week, Adell has hit four homers. He was 6 for 16 (.375) after his homer on Saturday.
“It helped me get comfortable in the box again,” Adell said of the extra workout. “Helped me get more into a groove. It’s always my setup and how I feel in the box.”
Adell, 26, continues to enjoy a breakout season, coming into Saturday’s game with a .232 average and a .771 OPS. His homer on Saturday was No. 25, an ongoing career high. Prior to this season, his career OPS was .649.
That started to turn almost exactly a year ago, when he finally ditched the exaggerated leg kick he’d used for his whole career. He switched to a toe tap, and then in late May of this season he further tweaked that to a small leg lift.
“I’m in a spot now where I’m pretty confident in what I’m going to be able to do,” Adell said. “My left lift is at a spot where it’s kind of more natural. It’s not really forced.”
TEODOSIO UPDATE
Center fielder Bryce Teodosio was out of the lineup a day after hitting his head on the fence while making a catch.
Interim manager Ray Montgomery said Teodosio has been cleared of a concussion, but they nonetheless wanted to give some more time because of “general body soreness. We’re just taking it cautious.”
NOTES
Second baseman Christian Moore was out of the lineup on Saturday. Since Moore came off the injured list last week, the Angels have had to shuffle three players for second base and third base. Yoán Moncada started at third and Luis Rengifo at second on Saturday night. “With Moncada back and Luis swinging it, it’s the rotation we’re gonna have to go through,” Montgomery said. “It takes 26 guys, so we’re gonna have to get everybody playing time when we can.” …
Right-hander Robert Stephenson came through Friday’s live batting practice session at Inland Empire well. The next step for him will be a simulated game, in which he’ll face hitters in a more game-like situation. If the Angels determine he still needs a rehab assignment, that could come after the simulated game. Stephenson has been out for more than two months because of bicep inflammation.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Jack Kochanowicz, 3-9, 5.85) at Tigers (RHP Casey Mize, 10-4, 3.50), Sunday, 10:40 a.m., FanDuel Sports Network West, 830 AM