Adell sidelined with bout of vertigo, hopeful for quick return

ANAHEIM -- Right fielder Jo Adell has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball in recent weeks, but has been slowed down by a bout of vertigo, as he was held out of the lineup for a second straight day on Tuesday against the Twins.

Adell, who was honored as the American League Player of the Week on Monday, first started feeling the symptoms during Sunday’s game against the Athletics. He managed to remain in the game and go 1-for-4 with a homer and even flied out to the warning track in his final at-bat before he left the game in the ninth inning. He was initially in the lineup on both Monday and Tuesday, but was scratched both nights.

Adell, 26, explained he had similar symptoms before the 2024 season and it took a few days before he started to feel better. They initially thought it was dehydration this time, but it was ruled out as the cause of his vertigo.

“It was just kind of the same type of symptoms from what I had before,” Adell said, “So just trying to get my head back right and some of the fogginess. It’s kind of like a frustrating thing because I don't like missing games. That’s not my thing. But I have to get the brain fog together.”

Adell did note that he has started to feel better, but just not well enough to return to right field and in the lineup. Veteran Chris Taylor started in his place in right on Tuesday.

“I feel better than I did yesterday,” Adell said. “But it's not there. The last time I remember having this, I was down for a couple of days and then I felt right. But I can't go out there if I'm not right, so I’ve got to be careful with it.”

Adell is in the midst of a breakout season that has seen him hit .243/.303/.507 with 35 homers, 17 doubles and 94 RBIs in 136 games. He’s been especially hot since early August, batting .293 with 14 homers and 33 RBIs over his last 31 games, including leading the Majors with five homers last week.

Interim manager Ray Montgomery said he’s proud of the progress that Adell has made, as he’s now in his sixth year in the Majors and is finally starting to blossom. Montgomery has been with the organization since before the 2021 season and credited Adell for responding well to hitting coaches Johnny Washington, Tim Laker and Jayson Nix.

“I don’t think he gets talked about enough,” Montgomery said. “Just the amount of work Jo has put in with the people who are here over the last two years, especially. I can’t even quantify the amount of [work] that they've done, retooling, restructuring, adjusting, going through the ups and downs. I'm proud, because I've been here for five years with Jo and I can't imagine how those guys feel.”

Adell also made a nice gesture by donating $5,000 to the GoFundMe for Angels Minor Leaguer Rio Foster, who remains in critical condition after being the passenger in a car crash early Friday. Foster, 22, was just named the Northwest League Player of the Month with High-A Tri-City on Thursday before sustaining serious injuries after being ejected from the car in the crash in Richmond, Wash., early Friday.

“I remember him coming up and being a part of camp toward the end [of Spring Training],” Adell said. “He was having a great couple of weeks of baseball, I know that for sure. We're just feeling for him and his family. Baseball is one thing, but life is something else. It was a no-brainer. I know he's got a lot of support, and I know all the guys have stepped up and done their part. Prayers for the family. It's terrible to hear, but I hope he can fight back and come back healthy."