ANAHEIM -- The first visit back to Angel Stadium came with a little muscle memory for Jo Adell.
Before Monday’s series opener, he took a wrong turn in the hallway out of habit, a small reminder of how much time he spent here during seven seasons with the Angels. The destination was different this time: the visitors’ clubhouse, where Adell returned for the first time since being dealt to the Guardians for catching prospect Jacob Cozart, ranked No. 22, ahead of the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.
Even with the change in routine, the return carried a familiar feel. Adell said it was good to reconnect with old teammates and see the building from the other side.
“It was kind of weird not parking in the players' lot,” Adell said. “I was at Gate A when I came down and made a left instead of a right. So it's a little bit different, but it was cool that I got to see some of the guys, and it’s cool to be back.”
Adell’s history with the Angels stretches back nearly a decade. The organization drafted him No. 10 overall out of Ballard High School in Louisville, Ky., in 2017, and he reached the Majors at 21 in 2020. The path had its highs and lows, but Adell said the time shaped him as both a player and a person.
“I turned into a man and a big leaguer in the Angels organization,” Adell said. “I got a chance to grow up and find who I was as a player.
It’s just a full-circle moment to be here and be on the other side and playing this group. But a lot of great memories here and I became the player that I am today in this organization.
So, it's pretty surreal to be on the other end.”
The trade itself did not catch him off guard. Adell said he understood the possibility was there, even after a 2025 season in which he set a career high with 37 homers in 152 games. He said his name had been in circulation, and once the Angels began moving players, he knew the call could come.
“It’s one of those things where even last year, there was a chance,” Adell said. “There’s always a chance, especially with teams looking for needs. I knew my name was being thrown around and obviously once it started kind of rolling with getting rid of some players, I knew there was a chance, and when I got the call, it was no secret that I was on the move.”
When it did come, Adell was on the golf course with teammates at Mike Trout’s private course, Trout National -- The Reserve. He said he made it through about eight holes before leaving, and he wasn’t shy about the setting.
“That golf course is unbelievable, I'll tell you that,” Adell said. “I got through about the eighth hole before I left.
So I got my nine holes in before I had to leave. But a pretty good send-off right there.”
Now with a new team, Adell said he has settled into the late-season push and is enjoying playing for a contender for the first time in his career. He said his approach hasn’t changed mechanically since leaving the Angels, even as the scenery has.
“The coolest part about being over here is just jumping right in that playoff race,” Adell said. “To step in the middle of a lineup and be a guy that's helping the team do that, I'm really honored and just really glad for the chance to be able to be a part of this.”
The Angels were happy to see him, even if they would have preferred a quieter night at the plate. Manager Kurt Suzuki said the club appreciated the way Adell handled everything, and Adell delivered the go-ahead hit in Monday’s 4-2 loss.
“It’s strange,” Suzuki said. “It looks like he's fallen into a great situation, and you wish him the best.
He was such a classy guy, handled everything like a pro. It wasn't always roses for him, and he still came out of it being a pro, and that's something that I appreciated as a teammate and now as a manager.”
In Other News...
Angels Third-Round Pick Is Forcing His Way Onto Fans Radar
Gavin Grahovac keeps giving the Angels reasons to pay closer attention. The third-round pick had a big night for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, driving in the kind of loud production that can turn a prospect from a name in the system into a player fans start following. His performance helped power a 5-3 win over Lake Elsinore, and it came against a pitcher with big-league experience on the mound.
Grahovac did the damage twice against rehabbing MLB right-hander Nick Pivetta, leaving no doubt about the bat speed that has already stood out early in his pro career. He now has five home runs in 17 games this month, a burst of power that is starting to make him hard to ignore as he settles into pro ball. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Bullpen Move Raises Bigger Questions Than Fans Wanted
Michael Fulmers brief Angels stint ended as quickly as it began, with the veteran reliever designated for assignment and then electing free agency after clearing waivers. He gave the club three scoreless innings with four strikeouts in three appearances, a tidy sample that at least suggested he could be part of the relief mix before roster pressure forced the move. His departure came as the Angels made room for starter Yusei Kikuchi, a decision that fit the short-term needs of the rotation but did nothing to ease the larger strain on the bullpen.
And that strain is the part that lingers for Los Angeles. The relief corps has been struggling, and recent bullpen work helped turn a game against the Cleveland Guardians into a loss, leaving the Angels searching for answers rather than stability. Moving on from Fulmer may have been the cleanest roster solution, but it also underscored how little margin the bullpen has right now, and how quickly the club may need another arm to step into the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Youth Auditions Could Decide Two Intriguing 2027 Roles
George Klassens return to the Angels on Aug. 7 has given the club another look at one of its more intriguing young arms, and the early results have fit neatly into a rotation that has surged to the top of the majors in August. In three starts totaling 17 innings, Klassen has posted a 1.59 ERA, showing off the kind of pitch mix that has long made him worth watching even as the command issues that have followed him remain part of the evaluation.
Moises Ballesteros is in a similarly important stretch after arriving from the Cubs before the trade deadline, and the Angels are already treating him like part of the catching picture going forward alongside Tyler Heineman. With both players getting extended auditions, the club is effectively sorting through two of its more interesting young roster questions at once, and the way they finish the season could help shape the Angels plans heading into 2027. [Read more 🡒]