Jo Adell wasn’t with the Cleveland Guardians for very long, but he had a big impact in a short time. His right-handed power bat transformed the lineup and helped the Guardians rally to win the AL Central.
Then, in the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox, Adell had a signature moment, with a bases-loaded triple in a season-saving Game 3 victory. After taking that series in five games, the Guardians could advance no further, as they were eliminated from the ALCS with a Game 6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
Afterward, Adell got honest about the Guardians’ season-ending loss, praising his teammates and reflecting on how quickly he was able to bond with them.
“This group of guys has been something special and something that I’ll never forget. Just coming in at a time of uncertainty at the trade deadline, and then getting so close with all these guys and everything that everyone brought to the table individually should be celebrated to this point,” Adell said.
"This group of guys has been something special and something that I'll never forget. Just coming in in a time of uncertainty at the trade deadline, and then getting so close with all these guys… and everything that everyone brought to the table individually should be celebrated… pic.twitter.com/gArYpYpsLt
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 20, 2026
Adell was acquired by Cleveland in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels on deadline day, Aug. 3. He provided the run production the Guardians sorely needed, posting 32 RBIs, seven home runs, and a .740 OPS in 48 games played as an outfielder/DH, with the team going 28-21 after his arrival.
That late-season surge allowed the Guardians to win the division, which eventually set up the series against the White Sox. Adell almost tied Game 2 in the eighth inning, but his near home run off the tall outfield wall at Progressive Field wound up as a triple and a 4-3 loss.
But facing elimination and trailing 1-0 in the third inning of Game 3, Adell’s two-out, three-run triple down the right field line gave the Guardians a 4-1 lead. It provided the spark for the three-game winning streak that allowed them to advance to the ALCS for the second time in three seasons.
Adell kept up the momentum with a two-run double in Cleveland’s Game 1 ALCS win. But he managed just two more hits after that and finished his first MLB postseason with a .195/.283/.341 slash line and no home runs in 41 at-bats.
“It’s disappointing. You go from celebrating and never expecting it to end to abruptly ending the season. All we can do is try to get better and take note of what we did well and what we were able to accomplish and be proud of that, and then come back hungry for more,” Adell said.
It is possible that Adell could be back with the Guardians next year to make another run at it, but the MLB labor climate will create a lot of uncertainty during the offseason.
NEXT: Brayan Rocchio Makes Big Promise To Guardians Fans
