Cleveland Guardians fans had been dying for the team to acquire a big power bat for years, and the front office finally listened ahead of this year’s trade deadline. Bringing in Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels has provided immediate dividends as he continues to hit absolute nukes and guide the Guardians back into the AL Central race.
Adell walloped a three-run homer on Saturday that traveled 450 feet through the thin Denver air, which nearly surpassed the 455-foot shot he smashed on Tuesday. The 455-footer was the longest from any Guardian this season and his .849 OPS through 16 games in Cleveland has been exactly what the team needed for this stretch run.
Adell has been pummeling doubles and homers all over the place and has settled in nicely as the cleanup hitter. He had taken a step back earlier in the year following a breakout 2025 season, but he has looked rejuvenated since the trade and would be a fun power bat to keep in town for a long time.
The Jo Show indeed. 🫪#GuardsBall | #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/YfRAsRLTGc
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) August 23, 2026
Nobody on the Guardians has more than 13 homers this season, so the need for more power was glaring. Adell has 20 on the heels of a 37-homer campaign last year and completely changes the shape of this lineup with his thump from the right side.
Adell and Nathaniel Lowe have been sneaky great deadline additions and youngsters Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, and Angel Genao have all immediately become fixtures in the lineup. If Jose Ramirez can get back to the guy he used to be just as Steven Kwan has done over the past six weeks or so, this lineup all of a sudden can become one of the deepest in the American League.
Cleveland has now moved back into second place in the division and is just 3.5 games back of the Chicago White Sox. That wouldn’t be possible without Adell’s power and it’s going to be fun to watch him continue to stay hot down the stretch.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Reaches Big Franchise Milestone On Saturday
