LA Angels Need to Be Patient With Jo Adell’s Injury

Back when the LA Angels made the decision to draft Jo Adell with the tenth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, the storylines began. Would he be the heir to Mike Trout, or his running mate?

And while that question remains unanswered (for the foreseeable future), the LA Angels and their fans all held their breath after seeing Jo Adell come up limp then roll his ankle rounding second base during a Spring Training game over the weekend.

Reports surfaced saying the Halos’ top prospect was on crutches in the locker room following the game. They avoided disaster, however, as Adell was diagnosed with a Grade 2+ right ankle sprain while also a Grade1+ left hamstring strain.

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For Angels fans, the past few years have been marred by injuries. The rotation has seen the most of the damage, but position players have had their fair share of injuries as well. Since Billy Eppler took over, there has been a mix of hurrying players back and taking a more patient approach. For Adell, the Angels need to be as patient as needed in his recovery.

While the originally diagnosis involved a general timeline of 10-12 weeks until Adell can return to play, there’s really no sure thing. Hamstrings all heal differently, and there’s only so much one can do other than allowing it to heal on its own. For his ankle, a Grade 2+ sprain means there was a large (but not complete) tear with a large amount of swelling and bruising.

As a tale of caution for the Angels and Adell, look no further than former Halo Garrett Richards. Richards, like Adell, was slotted to (maybe) replace an Angels great in Jered Weaver. While Trout is a far superior player than Weaver ever was, there are parallels.

Richards has had a well-documented injury history, but often rushed back in an attempt to help the team as the newfound ace. When he was healthy, he showed he may just be able to fill that role. However, rushing back often times leads to longer recoveries down the line.

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For Adell, whose game as a center fielder and possible lead off man, relies so much on the elite speed he possesses, needs to be patient. There were whisperings of him possible making his debut in Anaheim this year, but those are likely dead following his injury. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the Angels keep the future of their organization safe, and take as much time as needed before Adell returns to action.