The Giants have reached an agreement with shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year contract worth $182MM, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Susan Slusser from the San Francisco Chronicle was the first to note that discussions between the parties were “gaining momentum.” Passan further specifies that the CAA Sports client will earn a $22MM signing […]
The Giants have reached an agreement with shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year contract worth $182MM, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Susan Slusser from the San Francisco Chronicle was the first to note that discussions between the parties were “gaining momentum.” Passan further specifies that the CAA Sports client will earn a $22MM signing bonus included in the contract, marking the biggest deal in Giants history, eclipsing Buster Posey’s eight-year, $159MM deal with the team.
At 29, Adames was the premier shortstop available this offseason and joins a franchise that has been open about its intent to strengthen the position. The team has now succeeded in securing one of the most reliable players in the league for both offense and defense.
Adames has recorded at least 3.1 fWAR and 3.0 bWAR in each of his five complete, 162-game seasons in the majors, showcasing his reliability. A career 109 wRC+ hitter, he posted an impressive .251/.331/.462 (119 wRC+) line while playing for Milwaukee in 2024; his addition as a middle-of-the-order hitter is expected to bolster a Giants lineup that managed a mere 98 wRC+ last year.
Despite San Francisco’s solid 112 wRC+ at shortstop last year, much of that output was attributed to multi-positional player Tyler Fitzgerald, who had taken over the role late in the season but struggled defensively with a -4 in Outs Above Average last year. Adames was marginally better than that with a +1 OAA last season, but had stellar figures of +16 and +10 in previous years (2022 and ’23) and is expected to significantly enhance the team’s defense, forming an effective duo with third baseman Matt Chapman on the left side of the infield. Adames’s combination of solid offensive and defensive skills at a key position made him the #5 ranked free agent on MLBTR’s recent Top 50 MLB Free Agents list, where a six-year $160MM deal was anticipated for him.
Ultimately, Adames exceeded that forecast by one year and $22MM, which is not surprising considering the lack of depth in the infield market and the number of teams interested in him. The Yankees, Phillies, Astros, Braves, Blue Jays, and Red Sox all showed interest in Adames recently, and some suitors were reportedly intrigued by his openness to switch positions if necessary. This made him an especially appealing choice for teams like the Yankees and Astros, who viewed him as a solid “Plan B” if they could not retain star hitters Juan Soto and Alex Bregman, given their comfort with incumbent shortstop Anthony Volpe and Jeremy Pena.
Nevertheless, Adames has signed with a team that is likely to utilize him as their starting shortstop. Fitzgerald, who recorded a .280/.334/.497 (132 wRC+) in 96 games last season, is expected to take on the majority of playing time at second base now that he has transitioned away from shortstop, but he also has familiarity playing first base and in the outfield, which could position him for a versatile role if required. With former top prospect Marco Luciano and young prospects like Heliot Ramos, Luis Matos, and Grant McCray potentially influencing the outfield setup next year, alongside returning players Jung Hoo Lee and Mike Yastrzemski, it’s conceivable that with Adames added, the team may be largely settled on the positional front.
Should San Francisco refrain from further acquisitions for their batting lineup, uncertainties linger about their strategy for the rest of the offseason. Previous reports had suggested that the franchise intends to operate with a reduced payroll in 2025, and RosterResource indicates that Adames’s signing has projected their payroll for 2025 at $180MM. This figure stands $26MM below their last estimate for the 2024 payroll, aligning with a strategy to lower payroll unless further moves are made. However, the Giants have been heavily mentioned in discussions for starting pitching this offseason, and they were linked to top free agent starter Corbin Burnes just last week.
If the Giants were to sign Burnes alongside Adames, it would likely elevate their payroll to or possibly above 2024 levels, which would imply either a shift in their payroll strategy or intentions to reduce expenses elsewhere, potentially by trading a player like Yastrzemski or LaMonte Wade Jr.. Moreover, it is important to highlight that the Giants have forfeited their second- and fifth-highest draft picks (alongside $100K in international signing bonuses) to secure Adames. This could make the organization hesitant to sign another qualified free agent like Burnes to conserve their remaining draft picks, although San Francisco might feel encouraged to pursue additional qualified players since the penalty for drafting is less severe on subsequent signings. For instance, signing Burnes would now only cost the Giants their second- and fifth-highest picks in next year’s draft after accounting for the selections given up to sign Adames, effectively meaning they would be surrendering what were their third- and seventh-highest picks prior to this offseason.
