The San Francisco Giants entered the offseason with a significant hole at shortstop. That spot in the lineup has reportedly been filled with one of the biggest signings in recent franchise history.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Giants signed shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million contract. Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted that Adames’ contract is the largest in franchise history, surpassing the eight-year, $167 million contract signed by former catcher and current president of baseball operations Buster Posey in 2013.
Rated as the ninth-best free agent, and top shortstop available, by MLB.com, Adames had another solid year in 2024. He posted a .251/.331/.462 batting line in his 688 plate appearances, hitting 32 homers and 33 doubles while stealing 21 bases. Adames posted career highs in homers, doubles, steals and RBI (112) in his final season in Milwaukee.
Adames may end up as a bargain for the Giants. He has flown under the radar in his career, having never been named an All-Star and earning MVP votes just twice. However, Adames ranks seventh among shortstops with 16.5 bWAR since the start of the 2020 season. At 29 years old, Adames is still in his theoretical prime and should be a key part of the Giants lineup for years to come.
Signing Adames also adds stability to the position. Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle had reported that the Giants were looking to sign a shortstop despite the emergence of infielder Tyler Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who has spent time at second, could slide over to the keystone and give the Giants their double-play combo for the rest of the decade.
