The Guardians and Angels are in agreement on a trade sending outfielder Jo Adell from Anaheim to Cleveland, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Catching prospect Jacob Cozart is going back to the Halos, reports Zack Meisel of The Athletic.
Adell, 27, adds some pop to a light-hitting Guardians lineup, but the former top prospect’s overall offense this season has been below average. He’s homered 16 times and added 16 doubles and a triple, but Adell is slashing just .239/.287/.395 overall (89 wRC+).
That doesn’t mean he won’t have a role in the Cleveland offense — just that his bat is best used in a more limited setting. Adell has wrecked lefties with a .303/.338/.571 batting line this season (148 wRC+) but owns just a .214/.267/.326 line in right-on-right matchups. As a platoon option, he makes good sense. Cleveland has struggled against lefties in particular this season, hitting only .222/.310/.342 as a group. The resulting 86 wRC+ ranks 28th in the majors. Adell will presumably be in the lineup every time the Angels face a lefty starter, perhaps at the expense of young outfielder Petey Halpin.
More to come.
