Jo Adell Identifies Encouraging Trait Separating 2025 Angels From Years Past

A major league clubhouse is like any other workplace in many regards. Cliques form within the team. Players gravitate toward others who share a language, a position, or a similar stage in life.

It would surprise no one if the Angels' clubhouse fit this pattern. For a team that hasn't won a playoff round since 2009, reached the postseason since 2014, or posted a winning record since 2015, clubhouse harmony is not the expected byproduct of the Angels' recent track record.

Not so, said Jo Adell.

The Angels' center fielder told Trent Rush on the latest episode of Under The Halo that the 2025 team differs from the others he's played on in a very encouraging way.

Rush asked Adell who "his guys" are in the clubhouse. Adell's response? "It's everybody."

"I haven’t been able to say that, especially in years prior," Adell continued, "but with this group you can go up and talk to anybody. Have a conversation with anybody. You have a good group of people, and that’s what’s huge about this.”

The Angels went 47-49 prior to the All-Star break. Their season has included its share of growing pains. But there might be some positive side effects of allowing the team's young core to mature together at the major league level.

While it's fair to ask whether Adell, Zach Neto, Logan O'Hoppe, Nolan Schanuel and others were rushed to the big leagues at the expense of their development, their shared time in Anaheim seems to have helped the group bond.

"With this team in particular, it’s the second year that most of these guys are together," Adell told Rush. "That’s been big. It’s been big to have the same group for a couple years, or close to it. You're starting to see guys not afraid to fail."

Good clubhouse chemistry and a good record don't always go hand-in-hand. Teams that suffer in the standings don't always suffer among each other behind the scenes.

But it's worth noting that the Angels' .490 winning percentage is much higher than the .463 clip they were projected to achieve by Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA system in February.

Adell, for one, believes the Angels' "intangibles" can have a real impact in the standings.

"That’s the important part about the big leagues: just being aware of who you are, what you contribute to the team, and not like carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders," he told Rush. "We don’t have that. We have guys who understand who they are."

“Everybody’s aware of what they bring to the table, and that’s the important part. They’re OK with letting their hair down. I think that’s who we’ve become, and I’m excited to see it continue to roll.”