After multiple winters of futility, the San Francisco Giants have found a free agent willing to take gobs of their money.
Shortstop Willy Adames, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Giants have reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $182 million contract. The deal was first reported by ESPN.
The deal, which has yet to be confirmed by the Giants, is the largest in franchise history and the first major move under the team’s new president of baseball operations, Buster Posey. Adames, ranked fifth on Yahoo Sports’ Top 50 free agents list, was considered by some to be the market’s second-best offensive player behind only superstar slugger Juan Soto.
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In the past two offseasons, San Francisco, then under former POBO Farhan Zaidi, made spirited charges at the markets’ biggest fish. At every turn, the Giants struck out or were thwarted by fate. Aaron Judge used the Giants as leverage before returning to the Bronx. Shohei Ohtani considered San Francisco but always had his sights set on Los Angeles. And in December 2022, a pact with Carlos Correa was bizarrely scuttled at the 11th hour after a medical revealed issues with the shortstop’s ankle. He signed with the Minnesota Twins instead.
But now, finally, the Giants have an offensive catalyst to try to build around. Adames, who finished 10th in NL MVP voting this season, represents an obvious fit for a team in dire need of firepower. The ebullient 29-year-old has clubbed 112 home runs since the start of 2022, tied with Corey Seager for the most by a shortstop over that span. Offensively, Adames’ 2024 season was one of his best, with career highs in home runs and RBI. He has always been a high-strikeout player, but he offers rare juice for a shortstop.
The Giants will take any power they can get. In 2024, San Francisco finished middling or worse in most offensive categories. Finishing one game below .500, the club was competent but painfully forgettable and well off the torrid pace set by the Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks in the NL West.
That regrettable finish led to Zaidi’s ouster and the shocking entrance of Posey, a franchise legend and likely Hall of Famer who last played in 2021. Since taking over, the new head honcho has been vocal about his desire to reestablish a winning culture by the Bay. Adames, beloved and respected around baseball as a great clubhouse presence, will help with that goal.
Still, this landmark contract registers as something of a surprise. Multiple reports earlier this offseason indicated that the Giants expected a reduction in payroll entering 2025. That said, even with Adames’ $26 million per year, San Francisco is approximately $26 million under its $206 million outlay from last season.
For Adames, the deal is a big win.
Most projections had his average annual value pegged correctly, but few predicted a seventh year. The total surpasses the seven-year, $177 million pact Dansby Swanson and the Cubs inked before the 2023 season, a contract that many saw as a potential comp here. Adames had voiced a willingness to move to other infield positions if needed, but that won’t be necessary at Oracle Park, as hot-corner wizard Matt Chapman recently agreed to an extension that will keep him in San Francisco through 2030.
Whether Posey and the Giants are finished spending this winter remains to be seen. The club has a number of glaring needs, most notably a power-oriented corner outfielder and another starting pitcher to replace the departed Blake Snell. As currently constructed, the Giants remain behind Los Angeles and San Diego in the NL West picture.
The Adames deal is good, but Posey and Co. should keep going.
