Jo Adell brings the kind of bat the Guardians can still find a use for in October, even if the full picture remains uneven.
The 2025 season showed both sides of his game. With the Los Angeles Angels, he launched 37 home runs and finished with a career-best 115 OPS+. After the Angels dealt him to Cleveland at this year’s deadline, Adell made the ALDS roster for the matchup against the Chicago White Sox.
The power is obvious, but so are the swing-and-miss issues. Adell finished with 23 home runs and 94 RBIs, yet he also struck out 23.8% of the time and did not walk much. Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly noted that his season may have been worse than it first appears, while also pointing to a specific path for him in Cleveland.
"Adell felt like someone who would benefit greatly from a change of scenery, and finally got one in August when the Los Angeles Angels traded him to the Guardians. His production in 2026 was better in Cleveland than Anaheim, but he still only posted a .740 OPS in 48 games with the Guards," Kelly wrote.
That’s where the fit gets interesting for manager Stephen Vogt. Kelly suggested Vogt would be smart to use Adell against left-handed pitching, where the outfielder has looked far more comfortable.
"To be fair to Adell, he has a place in the league as is. He mashed lefties this season, batting .320 with a .971 OPS against southpaws," Kelly added. "Perhaps he should just be a platoon guy."
That split was real. Adell hit 14 of his 23 home runs and posted a .971 OPS against lefties during the regular season.
For Cleveland, that makes him a natural option in a pinch-hitting role during the ALDS against the White Sox. And with free agency coming in 2028, Adell has plenty of reason to make the kind of impression that sticks beyond this series.
In Other News...
Guardians Send Clear Message With Urgent Game 2 Lineup Shakeup
The Guardians came into Game 2 against the White Sox with a noticeably different look, making several lineup adjustments that suggested urgency after the opener. Patrick Bailey was behind the plate and Nathaniel Lowe handled first base, while Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell were shifted into different defensive spots as Cleveland also rearranged the batting order.
Chicago answered with changes of its own, inserting Andrew Benintendi, Sam Antonacci and Tristan Peters while moving Kyle Teel up to the No. 2 spot. With both clubs altering the mix on the fly, the second game had the feel of a quick reset, with Cleveland clearly trying to spark something early and keep the series from settling into one team's preferred rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A Real First Base Problem
Clevelands run to a third straight AL Central title came with plenty of familiar caveats, but first base has emerged as one of the clearest offseason questions on the roster. Kyle Manzardo looked like part of the answer after his breakout in 2025, only to stumble offensively in 2026 and wind up back in Triple-A. The Guardians responded at the trade deadline by adding Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, a sign they were willing to patch the spot quickly rather than wait for the bats to come around.
Now the bigger issue is what comes next. Manzardos future in Cleveland is uncertain, and prospect Ralphy Velazquez is expected to take over first base, which puts the organization in a position it likely did not expect when the season started. The Guardians have survived roster uncertainty before, but this one has the feel of a move that could reshape how they handle the position for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Need Someone Else To Deliver Their Big October Moment
The Guardians had plenty of pitching in place for a familiar playoff script, but the first game of the ALDS turned on the kind of offensive drought that can make even a solid performance feel hollow. Chicagos 3-0 win was driven by Munetaka Murakamis two-run homer, while Cleveland spent the night trying to solve a parade of White Sox arms, including Anthony Kay and Sean Burke, and never found the timely hit it needed.
Clevelands players pointed to the challenge of facing multiple starters in one game, even as they leaned on the comfort of having seen this Chicago pitching staff during the regular season. The bigger issue is less about recognition than execution, because the Guardians now need someone beyond the mound work to supply the defining October swing if they want this series to tilt back their way. [Read more 🡒]