Angels may have best trade chip on market if MLB insider's prediction comes true

Throughout the 2025 season, one of the most rewarding storylines for the Angels and their fans was the full-fledged summer time breakout of Jo Adell. The former top prospect finally put it all together, posting an OPS of .834 and hitting 30 home runs once the calendar turned to June. Due to the timing of his inspiring breakout coinciding with the Angels playing uninspiring baseball, Adell's name was in the trade rumor mill all of July and again as soon as the regular season ended.

Those rumors died down once Taylor Ward was dealt away for Grayson Rodriguez, but there is no telling whether or not Adell will be a Halo for all of 2026. And if Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly's prediction comes true, the Angels will have to think about dealing Adell.

Could Angels' hand be forced in Jo Adell trade talks?

Kelly wrote a way-too-early predictions article for the 2026 trade deadline and while Adell was not mentioned by name, there is one prediction that practically forecasts the reasoning for an Adell trade. Kelly predicts that right-handed hitters will be hard to find for contending teams and that the price for them will undoubtedly go up because of the lack of supply.

Kelly writes, "Consider that the Baltimore Orioles gave up Grayson Rodriguez—a pitcher who does have an injury history but is 26 and can't become a free agent until after the 2029 season—to acquire Taylor Ward... The O's seemingly paid a major price to get him for just one guaranteed season."

It was general consensus that the Angels made out like bandits in acquiring Rodriguez for Ward. It was a potential career saving move for Perry Minasian, and it is easy for Angels fans to daydream about a potential return for Adell after the outcome of the Ward trade. If the trade enviroment is similar come July, and the Angels aren't contending for a playoff spot, trading Adell will be the move that needs to be made.

While Adell is considered apart of the young core alongside Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel, Adell is a free agent following the 2027 season. If his 2025 breakout is true and he posts similar numbers in the first half of the upcoming season, he could very well become the most desirable hitter on the market and set the Angels up to truly contend in the years to come.

The Angels very likely will have to make a decision on Adell in 2026. While owner Arte Moreno will assuredly do everything he can to claim the team is contending, they will have to make a decision on Adell no matter what. The good news is that if the team does decide to move on from Adell, they'll likely be negotiating from a position of power rather than trying to deal Adell at a discounted price.