The Los Angeles Angels are heading toward another basement finish in the AL, and that puts them squarely in seller mode as the trade deadline approaches.
It’s been a tough first season for manager Kurt Suzuki, who inherited a roster that wasn’t built for immediate success. Mike Trout is putting together his best season in years and could land his first All-Star nod since 2019, but he’s not going anywhere. Trout’s made his loyalty to the organization clear.
The Angels might move another outfielder with legitimate power, though.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly thinks Jo Adell could be a change-of-scenery candidate this summer.
“Sticking with the theme of a lack of available right-handed bats, Jo Adell might be a change-of-scenery candidate. The high-end talent of the former first-round pick is evident. He robbed three homers in a game earlier this year. Last season, he homered 37 times and drove in 98 runs. But Adell has a disappointing .684 OPS. Moving on might be the best for all parties involved.”
That’s the thing with Adell – the talent jumps off the page. He can absolutely take over a game defensively, and that 37-homer, 98-RBI season shows what he’s capable of offensively.
But the .684 OPS tells a different story. For a corner outfielder with his tools, that’s just not getting it done consistently.
The Trade Value Case
What makes Adell interesting for contenders is the control situation. He’s only 27 years old and won’t hit free agency until after 2027. Any team that acquires him gets a year and a half to figure out if they can unlock what made him a top prospect.
Kelly points out the arbitration angle too: “He also has one remaining year of arbitration eligibility, so this could be a multi-year investment in a player who is still only 27 years old.”
That’s valuable for teams that need right-handed power but don’t want to commit long-term money until they see results.
For the Angels, it’s pretty straightforward. They’re not competing anytime soon, and Adell hasn’t quite clicked in their system. Sometimes a fresh start works for everyone.
They can flip him for prospects and hope one of them develops into the difference-maker they’ve been searching for. At this point, it might be their best bet to add meaningful talent to the pipeline.
