Defensive plays being the reason behind victories in baseball are rare, but when they happen, they stand out. The Los Angeles Angels were looking for a big play to help them secure a win against the Seattle Mariners, and that is exactly what Josh Adell gave them.
The Los Angeles outfielder robbed the Mariners of three potential home runs in the April 4 game. The Angels went ahead early in the game with a 1-0 lead thanks to Zack Neto’s 443-ft homer. Adell’s incredible defensive play restricted Seattle to a scoreless game, winning it for the LA side.
Adell was interviewed by the Foul Authority shortly after the unfathomable feat. And instead of basking in the glory, the player chose to reflect on his past struggles. He made his MLB debut in 2020 but had a rough few years before he could deliver elite-level production in the major league.
“I definitely think I needed to get punched in the jaw a little bit,” he said when asked about learning from his struggles.
Adell had a 41.7% strikeout rate in his debut year as he struggled with plate discipline. He recorded .161 AVG in the same year before improving it to .246 in 2021. But it dipped again and again before he could manage a stable figure last year. He made significant defensive errors in his early years, and his overall performance took a toll on him.
However, he started turning the corner in 2024. He played 130 games that year and recorded 62 RBIs with 20 home runs. 2025 saw a much-improved version of the outfielder as he managed 37 HRs and an RBI of 98 in 152 games.
Jo Adell says he felt like he needed to get “punched in the jaw” on his journey to finding success in the big leagues.
“I’ve always been somebody who thrives off adversity.” pic.twitter.com/es6NlCzRHv
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 6, 2026
“I think that I’ve always been somebody that I thrive off of the adversity and trying to come back and, you know, find a way to be better and recognize what didn’t go well and try to find the answers,” Adell perfectly summarized his turnaround from his past stumbles.
He was also able to shake off his “defensive liability” tag last season as well. He has also become flexible in multiple positions, and manager Ron Washington has a lot of faith in him. And his recent triple robbery has cemented him as one of the most dependable defensive pieces for the team.
But his exceptional play was much more than just an MLB record. It obviously decided the game for the Angels. But more importantly, it validated the process he has been going through.
Three robberies and how Jo Adell kept the Angels in the game
Seattle’s Cal Raleigh went for a long drive that would have been a home run in the very first inning. But Adell made a high leap above the yellow line, snagging the ball a couple of feet over the fence. The inning ended with 0 runs before Zach Neto made it 1-0 for the Angels.
Jo found a carbon copy shot again in the 8th from Josh Naylor. Adell then jumped at the wall and brought the ball down clean, preventing the Mariners from leveling the game. His most spectacular save came in the final inning as he stopped John Paul Crawford’s Hail Mary.
He sprinted almost 90 feet before jumping towards the fence. Adell ultimately went over and landed on the crowd, but not before gloving it cleanly. It sealed the game for the Angels while Adell did the unthinkable in a single MLB game.
And it obviously wasn’t easy. Three different batters, three different innings, three almost different situations, but Jo ensured the same outcome in all of them. Each of those catches, especially the third one, was a test of his strength and agility. Not to mention that each of them involved a certain amount of risk.
But Jo Adell went above and beyond, showing how well he has progressed. This historic performance was a direct contrast to his earlier inconsistency. His setbacks and struggles have eventually paid off, and Adell now looks like a vital cog in the team.
