We Could’ve Had Adell
Jo Adell (LAA): 2-4, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, BB.
Jo Adell said, “Hello from the oppo side…” yesterday for his third home run of the season. The 100.2 mph grand slam led the Los Angeles Angels to an 11-4 win over the New York Yankees. Adell has had a solid start to 2026 with a .309/.349/.432 triple slash and a 123 wRC+. His 17.4% strikeout rate is unlikely to stick, though, with a 37.1% Chase rate and 97 DV+. Sorry to folks looking for some relief from Adell’s career 29.6% strikeout rate. It just isn’t realistic. After all, it’s his swing-happy ways that allowed him to knock 37 homers last season.
If you’re looking for growth, it could come on the basepaths. Adell had only five stolen bases in 2025 as his sprint speed dropped from an elite 28.8 ft/s to a much more mediocre 27.9 ft/s. This year, his sprint speed is already back up to 28.2 ft/s. If new manager Kurt Suzuki allows Adell to run more freely, 10-15 stolen bases could easily be in the cards. Don’t forget, Suzuki does know a thing or two about picking off a runner on the basepaths. Adell is in good hands.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Thursday:
Josh Jung (TEX): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Josh Jung notched his first home run of the year last night. A series of wrist and hand injuries have derailed Jung’s career since he was named an All Star back in 2023. The 28-year-old third baseman is now healthy and beginning to look like his old self again. Jung’s 90.4 mph average exit velocity is the highest he’s posted since 2023 and a 53.3% Hard Hit rate is a career best mark. A 46.7% groundball rate is a bit concerning as it’s also a career high and would limit his ceiling, but the upside for another All Star campaign is there if Jung can get under the ball more often like he did last night.
Oswald Peraza (LAA): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SB.
In 18 games, Oswald Peraza has nearly tied the five homers in 106 games that he put up last season. However, this doesn’t look like a legitimate power surge. Peraza’s average exit velocity, Barrel rate, and Hard Hit rate are all in line with last year’s numbers, and his bat speed has actually fallen off from 73.6 mph to 71.4 mph. A .273 BABIP would usually be an indicator of bad luck, but a below-average hit tool like Peraza’s will keep him from crossing the .300 mark, and he’s actually outperforming his career .251 BABIP.
The key here has been his 90th percentile 43.2% LA Sweet Spot (ability to hit the ball at the angle needed to drive it out of the park). Without improvements to his power or hit tools, that clip is unsustainable, and Peraza’s best left on your waiver wires.
Giancarlo Stanton (NYY): 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
It may seem easy to start fading Giancarlo Stanton in his age-36 season, but you don’t want to sleep on a bat like his. Both David Ortiz and Nelson Cruz put up 30+ homers at 40 years old; the career DH power bat is a timeless profile. After all, Stanton is fresh off a campaign where he recorded 24 home runs in only 281 PAs. But something, something, something, injuries! Sure, Stanton won’t play 600 PAs, but neither will Mike Trout.
Jake Mangum (PIT): 3-5, 2 R, BB, SB.
Jake Mangum came to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of the Brandon Lowe trade this past offseason. Mangum has struggled to make an immediate impact, serving as the Pirates’ fourth outfielder so far, mostly playing against lefties. Yesterday’s pair of singles were both well above his third percentile 83.7 mph average exit velocity, clocking in at 101.8 and 97.2 mph. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that Mangum possesses elite speed, with a 28.4 ft/s sprint speed and 27 stolen bases in 428 PAs last season. He also slashed .304/.340/.380 in 291 PAs against righties, so there’s a path to regular playing time here. Be prepared for some ups and downs throughout the season, but Mangum is a solid bet to swipe 20+ bags again this year.
José Caballero (NYY): 3-4, 2 SB.
José Caballero picked up his seventh and eighth steals of the year in yesterday’s loss to the Angels, moving him into a tie for second in the league. Caballero has managed to steal 40+ in back-to-back seasons despite a subpar hit tool and fewer than 500 PAs. Even in a part-time role, he’s on pace for a three-peat this year, and the Yankees have leaned on him heavily with Anthony Volpe out until May. Caballero may be a one-trick pony, but it certainly is a nice trick for teams in need of stolen bases.
Luis García Jr. (WSN): 0-3, R, RBI, SB.
Luis García Jr. was one of my favourite sleepers coming into spring training. While he isn’t lighting the baseball world on fire right now, I do think he’s worth a look with all of the injuries 2026 has brought us. García has posted a career-high 90.6 mph average exit velocity, and his 105 Power+ and 118 Contact+ hint at a level well above his current 76 wRC+.
