Angels right fielder Jo Adell (7) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Sept. 3. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Angels' Jo Adell Reflects on 'Wake-Up Call' That Led to 2025 Breakout

Originally posted on Los Angeles Angels on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 2:30 PM ET

As the newly crowned American League Player of the Week, Jo Adell got to put on a headset for a live interview with MLB Network on Monday at Angel Stadium.

Host Harold Reynolds had just finished praising Adell for doing early work often in the afternoons, when Adell made a surprising admission: the key to his success was doing less.

"I’m a worker. Sometimes I overwork," Adell told Reynolds. "This year it was actually kind of a wake-up call. I’ve done something a little different. I’ve decided to back down on some of the early work, some of the batting practice, make it short and sweet, and get ready for game time. I’ve been confident in my routine, trusting my work, trusting my ability to go out and compete.”

Adell's ability has met opportunity head-on in 2025. Through Monday, he's leading the team with 35 home runs in 136 games, to go with 94 RBIs and a .243/.303/.507 slash line.

Adell earned his first career Player of the Week award, and is the third Angel to win the award this season, joining Taylor Ward (May 27) and Zach Neto (Aug. 18). He hit .407 (11-for-27) with five homers, 12 RBIs, a double, two walks, six runs scored, a stolen base, a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .448 on-base percentage across seven games last week.

Adell led the majors in several categories — homers, RBIs, total bases (27) — and tied for first in slugging and extra-base hits (6); tied for fourth in hits (11); and sixth in OPS (1.448) last week.

According to Elias, Adell became the fourth Angel with a go-ahead homer in three consecutive games, joining Mike Trout (June 18-19, 2022); Ian Kinsler (June 6-9, 2018); and Jack Howell (Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 1987).

Knowing his name would be in the lineup card not only allowed Adell to back off his frenetic routine; it ultimately freed him up to have his breakout season in the batter's box.

"Me and Ron (Washington) talked about that a couple years ago," Adell told MLB Network on Monday. "He’s like, look, I’m going to let you go out here, good, bad or indifferent. You’re going to play, and we’re going to see what we’ve got. That was all I needed. I needed to hear that. I needed that type of opportunity, to go out and just be a part of something every day.

"I’m kind of reaping the benefits of being part of this game every single day, and being able to compete, and finding my rhythm. That’s something I didn’t get to do before the last couple years. So, really credit to him and his staff, for really just letting me go out and compete.”