Several SF Giants trade deadline acquisitions serve as a warning sign for Willy Adames

The SF Giants made plenty of moves at the trade deadline and the effects will be felt for a good long while. We probably won’t know for sure how the Giants did in these trades for years but one thing is certain: there is more pressure on shortstop Willy Adames after the trade deadline.

Most of San Francisco’s deals brought back promising young pitchers, but the Giants also got some middle infielders which just gives the organization more depth at that spot and more future options to replace Adames.

They got Kaeden Kent in the Heliot Ramos trade with the New York Yankees, Marcelo Mayer from the Boston Red Sox, and Joniel Hernandez in the Robbie Ray trade with the San Diego Padres. All three of these players are at very different stages in their careers but they provide San Francisco with middle infield help in multiple ways. 

Mayer is a former first-round pick who has lost the shine of being a top prospect after some poor results in his first two big league seasons. He still has the tools to be a good player though and it will be interesting to see if he gets opportunities at shortstop this season once he gets healthy. He is the most immediate threat to Adames for playing time.

Kent is 22 and is still in High-A but he has the contact skills to be a legitimate big league hitter if he continues to progress. He is probably better suited at second base rather than shortstop but if he hits he could be in the big leagues within the next year or two.

Hernandez is just 17 so he joins the other teenage infield prospects the Giants already have in their farm system: Jhonny Level, Luis Hernandez, and Josuar Gonzalez. Keep in mind San Francisco still has Gavin Kilen, their first-round pick from 2025 so the organization is brimming with young middle infield talent.

Giants will give Willy Adames runway, but not indefinitely

The Giants have so much money committed to Adames that they’re going to be patient and give him ample opportunity to bounce back from this season. But the stats don’t lie and his .222/.280/.413 slash line combined with his poor defense are definite cause for alarm.

His back injury may be to blame to a certain extent but he’s 30 and is still owed over $150 million after this season so this could be just the start of a very long and steady decline.

At some point the Giants will turn to younger guys in the organization if they feel they will be an upgrade on the field so Adames has to get healthy first of all and then improve his play on the field if he wants to fend off eventual challengers from the minors.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow