SF Giants power bat wins Wille Mac Award in first season with the club

On Friday, SF Giants power-hitting infielder Willy Adames was selected as the 2025 Willie Mac Award winner. The award recognizes the team's most inspirational player, both on and off the field.

SF Giants power bat wins Wille Mac Award in first season with the club

The award is voted on by Giants players, coaches, training staff, and fans. Adames gave a fantastic acceptance speech while expessing the pride he has in wearing a Giants uniform.

There were certainly some strong candidates this year. Adames, along with Logan Webb and Dominic Smith, made sense. It is a bit surprising that Webb has not won the award yet.

There were plenty of previous winners in attendance for the ceremony. Wilmer Flores (2022) and Matt Chapman (2024) are the other current Giants players to take home the award.

Adames made a lot of sense for a variety of reasons. When he was struggling earlier in the year, he was often the first player out of the dugout to celebrate a win with his teammates. That type of energy lightens the mood in the dugout and is infectious.

Of course, the 30-year-old infielder did turn his season around starting in June. Almost as soon as Matt Chapman landed on the injured list with inflammation in his right hand, and following the acquisition of Rafael Devers, Adames stepped up as a leader.

Adames celebrated by hitting a two-run shot in the first inning against Rockies starter Germán Márquez. The Giants took the first game of the series by a score of 6-3, and they still have a chance to finish the year with a .500 record.

Overall, the veteran bat is hitting .226/.320/.420 (108 wRC+) with 29 home runs, 86 RBI, and 93 runs in 679 plate appearances. This includes an 11.8 percent walk rate, 26.2 percent strikeout rate, and .193 ISO. These are solid numbers at a premium position, and Adames' defense has rebounded nicely from a slow start.

Not only has Adames put up strong numbers, but he has been one of the most durable players in baseball this season. He has appeared in all but one game so far.

In the final weekend of the season, Adames still has a chance to reach 30 home runs and become the first Giants hitter to do so since Barry Bonds in 2004. In the meantime, the Willie Mac Award is a cool honor to cap off a strong first season with San Francisco.

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