Jo Adell’s split against right-handed pitching has become one of the more interesting questions hanging over the Guardians’ lineup.
For a long time, Adell was known as a lefty masher, and his career production against RHP has still been the weak spot. But that hasn’t been the whole story.
There were periods in the past when he handled righties well enough to matter, and his 2025 numbers against them were strong compared with the rest of his career. The problem is that he’s slipped back into rough territory in 2026.
So the real question is simple: was 2025 a one-year spike, or was it a sign that there’s still something usable there if the Guardians keep giving him chances?
The underlying numbers over the last two seasons suggest this is less about a broken approach and more about inconsistency. His strikeout rate and walk rate have both moved down, which cuts both ways. More importantly, his whiff rate has held fairly steady, so there isn’t a clear sign that his ability to make contact has fallen off.
What has changed is the quality of that contact. In 2026, his contact quality against righties has dipped a bit, and the biggest drop has come in barrel rate.
Even so, the broader power indicators are not empty. He’s basically league average in exit velocity and barrel rate, and he sits comfortably above average in hard-hit rate.
That points to a hitter who can still do damage when he squares the ball up, even if he hasn’t been as precise as he needs to be.
That distinction matters. The data doesn’t say Adell has stopped hitting right-handed pitching altogether.
It says he’s been less consistent at turning hard contact into the kind of damage that changes innings. A .300 xwOBA is still well below league average, but it’s not the profile of a hitter with no chance against righties.
In fact, that mark would rank fourth on the Guardians’ current roster among hitters with at least 50 plate appearances.
Given where the Guardians’ offense has been over the last two seasons, it makes sense to keep testing him there. The numbers leave enough room to believe the 2025 version wasn’t just a mirage. If Adell can rediscover that consistency, he has a chance to be a real factor for the Guards, regardless of who’s on the mound.
In Other News...
Ralphy Velazquez Is Making Clevelands First Base Future Hard To Ignore
The Guardians spent their latest roster-spinning stretch adding five veteran players without dipping into the top end of their farm system, a sign the organization is still trying to protect a young core it believes in. That makes Ralphy Velazquez worth watching closely in Triple-A, where the first baseman has kept forcing his way into the conversation with a power bat and the kind of offensive production that makes a future big-league role easy to picture.
Nathaniel Lowes arrival gives Cleveland more established help at first base, and that could slow the timeline for Velazquez even as he keeps doing his part. For now, the organization has a comfortable luxury - a prospect in Triple-A who is hitting well enough to stay on the radar, and a major league roster that can afford to be patient a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Steven Kwan's Hot Streak Now Leaves Guardians With One Big Worry
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The concern now is less about what Kwan has been doing at the plate and more about whether he can keep doing it after a scare in the field. He missed a game after crashing into the wall while chasing a catch against the Mets, and the Guardians are hoping he can be back for the upcoming series against the White Sox. With the season tightening, Cleveland can ill afford to be without one of its most reliable bats for long. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Need A Tough Rhys Hoskins Decision Soon
Rhys Hoskins has given the Guardians a veteran presence and a proven right-handed bat, but the last few weeks have made his place in the lineup feel a little less secure. Since June 1, the production has dipped, especially against left-handed pitching, and the strikeouts have climbed enough to make Cleveland think harder about how it wants to handle the position down the stretch.
The organization has options, which is part of the intrigue. Kody Huff has shown stronger offensive results against lefties and could earn a larger role if the club decides to lean into a platoon look at first base, with some catching sprinkled in as needed. If that path does not hold, Ralphy Velazquez is also lurking as another bat Cleveland could turn to at first base or designated hitter, giving the Guardians a few different ways to answer a difficult question without waiting too long. [Read more 🡒]