The Giants made a massive commitment to shortstop Willy Adames when they signed him to a franchise-record $182 million deal in December 2024.
Despite getting off to a slow start, Adames managed to turn it around and deliver the type of production the Giants were hoping for in his first season in San Francisco. He finished the 2025 campaign with a team-high 30 home runs, becoming the first Giants hitter to reach that elusive benchmark since Barry Bonds in 2004.
But Adames’ sophomore season with the Giants wasn’t quite as successful. The 31-year-old once again stumbled out of the gate, weighing down a lineup that also got lackluster punch from fellow veterans Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers at the beginning of the year.
The Giants stuck with Adames through his inconsistent stretches at the plate, but he struggled to overcome a persistent back issue and a left elbow sprain that ultimately ended his season in August. He slashed .230/.289/.424 with 21 home runs and a career-low 100 OPS+ over 121 games while also showing concerning signs of regression on defense in 2026.
After recording +5 Outs Above Average at shortstop in ‘25, Adames slid to -17 OAA this season, tied with the Nationals’ CJ Abrams for the worst mark in the Majors at any defensive position.
“It feels like I couldn’t get it right this year, on defense or offense,” Adames acknowledged in August. “So, I have to work and re-evaluate what I was doing this year and then focus on all the points that I have to adjust and go about it in the offseason.”
Adames remains under contract through 2031, so the Giants will be counting on him to rebound and show that he can still be a key piece of their infield moving forward. While his defensive metrics left much to be desired this year, president of baseball operations Buster Posey said the club has no plans to move Adames off his natural position for now.
“I see his future as a shortstop,” Posey said last week. “To speak for Willy, there's no doubt the way he moved this year that his back was bugging him. He's not going to sit up here and say this because that's not his nature. I am hopeful that if he gets into a better place physically, that some of those metrics that you were talking about will move back to what he's done throughout his career.”
Assuming he’s healthy, Adames should be in line to serve as the Giants’ Opening Day shortstop for the third consecutive year in 2027. But he could face a bit more competition at the spot if he continues to underperform, especially since San Francisco will have to find the best fit for the versatile Casey Schmitt and create more opportunities for top Trade Deadline acquisition Marcelo Mayer.
Odds are the Giants will have to consider shifting Adames to second base or another position at some point down the line, especially since they have a plethora of young shortstops coming up through their vastly improved farm system.
Four of their top six prospects are shortstops, including highly touted teenagers Josuar Gonzalez (the Giants' No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Luis Hernández (No. 2), both of whom finished the 2026 season at Single-A San Jose. Jhonny Level (No. 4) also rose to High-A Eugene this year, while Gavin Kilen (No. 6) -- the most advanced of the group -- got up to Double-A Richmond.
COMPLETE GIANTS PROSPECT COVERAGE
The Giants know they won’t be able to keep everyone at shortstop in the long run, but Posey sees the surplus as a good problem to have.
“There are a lot of shortstops,” Posey said. “I like to think that shortstops can play all over the field. Somebody will most likely end up short, and there might be guys that end up moving around. But we want to keep them at short as long as we can. As far as the timeline on when those guys are here, it's really up to them. It's up to them on how they continue to play.”