3 biggest SF Giants disappointments through the first 40 games of the season

On Monday, we looked at the three biggest SF Giants surprises through the first 40 games of the season. Now, we are shifting gears to discuss the three biggest disappointments, including Willy Adames, LaMonte Wade Jr., and Patrick Bailey.

3 biggest SF Giants disappointments through the first 40 games of the season

1. Willy Adames

The Giants signed Adames to a record-setting contract in the winter. With that came lofty expectations. The veteran infielder is signed through 2031, so he is not going anywhere anytime soon, and there is still plenty of season left to turn it around.

Interestingly, Matt Chapman struggled through his first few weeks in a Giants uniform last year. By the end of the year, the Giants were rewarding him with a long-term extension. This is to say that it is still pretty early in the season.

With the exception of a few games, Adames' bat has been mostly silent this season. He is slashing .217/.297/.335 (82 wRC+) with four home runs, 19 RBI, and 23 runs in 182 plate appearances this season. The right-handed bat had a two-week stretch where it was looking like he was warming up at the plate, but he also has just four hits in 26 at-bats over the past six games.

Adames' defense has graded out unfavorably as well. Regardless of the metric used, he has graded out as a below-average defender at a premium position. That is a bit of a problem, but his defense could see improvement as the weather warms up.

2. LaMonte Wade Jr.

LaMonte Wade Jr. is off to a brutal start to the season after slumping through the second half of last season. Is this a slump or part of a larger trend?

The left-handed bat has registered a .145/.246/.245 line (42 wRC+) with one home run, 13 RBI, and nine runs in 127 plate appearances this season. He still has a healthy walk rate at 11.8 percent, but does not add much power or speed on the bases. His value is tied strongly to his on-base percentage, but he is not reaching base often enough.

Jerar Encarnación began a rehab assignment over the weekend, and is due back in a couple of weeks. If Wade Jr. does not turn it around by then, Encarnación could quickly supplant Wade Jr. as the everyday first baseman. If that does not work, the Giants may need to pursue a trade.

3. Patrick Bailey

Patrick Bailey's continues to flash Gold Glove defense behind the plate. His pitching framing, pop time, and accuracy are all above-average traits. Even his blocking has noticeably improved this season.

Bailey's work behind the plate continues to be excellent, but his work in the batter's box is a concern. Similar to Wade Jr., Bailey's offensive struggles extend back to the second half of last season.

Overall, the switch-hitter has recorded a .181/.219/.257 line (32 wRC+) with zero home runs, 12 RBI, and 10 runs in 114 plate appearances. There has been a huge spike in Bailey's strikeout rate to 32.5 percent.

Catcher is not a bat-first position, and teams will often accept below-average offensive production if he is a good receiver. I do not know exactly where that tradeoff no longer makes sense, but Bailey's elite-level defense may not justify the .476 OPS.