Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell put on a defensive performance for the ages on Saturday night, robbing three home runs in a single game during the middle game of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.
Adell’s Spectacular Defensive Showcase
Adell, often critiqued for his defensive play, silenced his doubters with one of the best outfield performances in baseball history. He robbed Mariners’ hitters Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, and J.P.
Crawford of home runs in stunning fashion. The Angels ultimately won the game 1-0, thanks to a leadoff homer by Zach Neto, marking just their second victory in the past seven games.
“After the first one, the second one was kind of similar, I didn’t know if I was having deja vu,” Adell said postgame. “Sometimes you have to help on the other side of the ball and I’m glad I did my part.”
The Three Robberies
Adell’s first robbery came in the first inning against Raleigh. In the eighth inning, he took away Naylor’s potential home run, and then, in the ninth, he made the play of the game.
Crawford sent a shot off Jordan Romano that looked destined to land in the right-field seats. Adell leapt spectacularly, catching the ball while tumbling over the short wall into the stands. His glove emerged from the crowd as he stood up, signaling that he had made the catch.
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki praised Adell’s work ethic, saying, “He disappears and he comes up with his glove up. This guy works as hard as anybody I’ve ever been around.”
Mariners’ Reaction
Mariners manager Dan Wilson, who had a 14-season career in the majors, was in awe of Adell’s performance. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen three in one ballgame before,” Wilson said.
“It’s frustrating when you feel like you put a good swing on a ball like that and you drive it like our guys did and you don’t end up with anything to show for it.”
Raleigh, who finished last season as the American League MVP runner-up, was also impressed by Adell’s defense. “You just tip the cap,” Raleigh said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy rob two homers in a game, much less three.
So it’s just one of those things where baseball can amaze you night in and night out. You can see something you’ve never seen before.”
The Game and Pitching Performances
The Angels’ offense was minimal, with Neto’s 10th career leadoff homer accounting for the game’s only run. The victory came after a 3-1 loss in 10 innings the night before, where neither team scored in the first nine innings.
Seattle’s right-hander Luis Castillo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the mound for Sunday’s series finale. Castillo impressed in his first start of the season against the New York Yankees, throwing six shutout innings with seven strikeouts in a 2-1 win.
Castillo has a strong track record against the Angels, going 5-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 11 career starts, though he’s 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA at Angel Stadium.
For the Angels, right-hander Ryan Johnson (0-1, 16.20 ERA) will make his second career start. Johnson struggled in his debut, allowing six runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings in a 7-2 loss to the Cubs.
