ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — When Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove Award recipient renowned for his spectacular catches, describes an achievement as “probably the greatest defensive game I’ve ever seen,” it signifies something extraordinary.
Such was the acclaim Hunter bestowed upon Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels. The right fielder executed three spectacular home run-saving catches, the final one being an incredible leaping grab while crashing into the seats near the right-field foul pole during the ninth inning. This remarkable feat secured a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
Hunter, who is 50 years old and serves as a special assistant to the general manager, said, “I’ve never seen three home run robberies in one game, and I’ve never seen a guy on the third one fall into the stands, catch the ball and keep his feet in like he’s a wide receiver.” He watched the game from the bench and added, “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”
Caroline Brehman via Associated Press
Adell, after years of defensive struggles, emerged as a Gold Glove finalist in 2024. He began the game by leaping high above the yellow line in right field to deny Cal Raleigh a solo home run in the first inning. He made a similar catch against Josh Naylor in the eighth inning.
In the ninth, J.P. Crawford hit a drive towards the right-field corner. Adell sprinted toward the ball, leapt to catch it, flipped over a low wall, and landed in the first row of seats. He held up his glove to confirm the catch, which was upheld after a replay review.
“After the first one, I was pretty fired up,” Adell said. “When I got to the second one, which looked identical to the first, I thought, ‘Wow, my routes are on point tonight.’ The third one was just grit. Top of the ninth, you have to get it done. It was crazy.
“You just get there, then it’s decision-making. The ball was hit high enough to where I could get there. I watched it (into my glove), fell over and ended up in somebody’s lap. I don’t know who it was, but it was a softer landing than I expected. The fans were as fired up as me.”
Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Inside Edge reports that since 2020, Adell has made 10 home run-robbing catches, tying Kyle Tucker of the Dodgers for the most in the major leagues. In the 2025 season, Jacob Young of the Nationals and Fernando Tatis of the Padres led with four home run robberies each.
This game marked what is believed to be the first instance in baseball history where a player robbed three home runs in a single game.
Hunter likened Adell’s third catch to a movie scene, saying, “It was like the music was playing, then he caught the ball, then he went down and we didn’t see him anymore. The music paused, he came up and said, ‘Yeah!’ I started cheering and almost blacked out.”
Hunter, known for his time with the Minnesota Twins, Angels, and Detroit Tigers, has been instrumental in refining Adell’s defensive skills over the years.
“His impact has been huge,” Adell noted. “It’s mental when you’re out there — it’s a mindset of going to get the baseball, being aggressive. Early, I was caught in between on some plays, and sometimes that happens.
“When you err on the side of being aggressive and trying to make the plays, you’d be surprised at how many plays you make. That’s the mindset Torii had all those years, winning all those Gold Gloves.”
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