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Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell had a night he’ll never forget.
Adell showed off his defensive prowess in the team’s 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners, stealing three home runs, including one that took him into the stands. The defensive performance was so good that former MLB star outfielder Torii Hunter gave Adell huge praise.
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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell catches a ball hit by JP Crawford of the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, California, April 4, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)
Hunter, who works in the Angels’ front office, called it “probably the best defensive play I’ve seen.”
“I’ve never seen three stolen homers in one game, and I’ve never seen a guy from third fall into the stands and catch the ball and keep his feet in it like he was a wide receiver,” he said. “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”
Adell has leveraged his defensive skills over the past five seasons with the Angels. He was a Gold Glove finalist in 2024, and even though last season was a tough year for him in the outfield, Adell really helped Los Angeles achieve victory.
He was instrumental in hitting a solo home run against Cal Raleigh in the first inning. He then did the same against Josh Naylor in the eighth.
Mariners shortstop JP Crawford thought he had tied it in the top of the ninth. Adell raced toward the ball deep in the right field corner. He jumped, grabbed and fell backwards into the stands. The catch was confirmed after a replay review.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell catches a ball hit by JP Crawford of the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, California, April 4, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)
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“After the first one, I was pretty excited,” Adell said. “When I got to the second one, which looked identical to the first one, I was like, ‘Wow, my routes are on point tonight.’ The third was just courage. At the top of the ninth, we have to make it. It was crazy.
“Just getting there, then it’s decision making. The ball was hit high enough for me to get there. I looked at it (in my glove), fell and ended up in someone’s lap. I don’t know who it was, but the landing was softer than I expected. The fans were as excited as I was.”
Adell has committed 10 stolen home runs since 2020, tied with Kyle Tucker of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the most in the majors during that span, according to Inside Edge. Jacob Young of the Washington Nationals and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres have each committed four robberies in 2025 alone.
“It was like a scene from a movie,” Hunter added. “It was like the music was playing and then he caught the ball and then it fell and we didn’t see him anymore. The music stopped and he came over and said, ‘Yeah!’ I started clapping and almost passed out.”
Adell credited Hunter with helping him in the outfield, saying his “impact has been huge.”
Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell hits a catch against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on April 4, 2026. (Jonathan Hui/Imagn Images)
At the plate, Adell was 1 for 3. The Angels got their only run on a Zach Neto solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.
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The Angels improved to 4-5 this season while the Mariners fell to the same record.
