Is Embattled San Francisco Giants Superstar Turning Offensive Corner?

The San Francisco Giants had to go out and make a major trade to bolster their offense in part because of the struggles of Willy Adames.

That major trade — for designated hitter Rafael Devers — required the Giants to give up four players, including last year’s first-round pick, outfielder James Tibbs III. Devers hasn’t been the slugger he was in Boston to this point, but the same could be said — and has been said — about Adames.

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But that could be changing. It’s subtle climb and it requires looking beyond Adames’ slash numbers for the season.

Entering Sunday’s game against the Athletics, Adames had a slash of .225/.310/.362 with 10 home runs and 42 RBI. It’s disappointing production for a free agent who signed the largest deal in Giants history in the offseason, a seven-year, $182 million contract that exceeded the previous high set by Buster Posey, now the franchise’s president of baseball operations.

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He’s absorbed his share of criticism. But, in the last 23 games, his numbers have looked more like what the Giants were hoping for to start the season.

On June 7 against Atlanta, Adames reached his low point for the season. After a 3-2 win over the Braves, he slashed .193/.281/.303. From that point, Adames began digging out of that hole.

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In the 23 games since then he’s slashed .318/.390/.529 with five home runs and 16 RBI. He’s slammed half of his home runs and driven in more than a third of his RBI this season in that span.

It’s a start. It also represents a beginning toward lining up with his career slash line, one he established before he arrived in the Bay Area earlier this year.

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Adames was one of the highest-ranked free agents on the market last offseason after he posted a career slash line of .248/.322/.444/.766 in seven MLB seasons with Tampa Bay and Milwaukee.

Acquired by the Brewers in 2021, he hit 107 home runs with the Brewers, including 32 home runs and 113 RBI in 2024. Both were career highs.

He probably won’t reach those highs in 2025. But at least there’s proof his bat is coming around.

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