Veteran bat stepped up for the SF Giants while Matt Chapman was on the injured list

When Matt Chapman went down with a hand injury in June, the SF Giants needed someone else to step up. That someone turned out to be Willy Adames.

Veteran bat stepped up for the SF Giants while Matt Chapman was on the injured list

Adames was arguably one of the more disappointing players in baseball in the first half of the season. After signing a seven year, $182 million contract, the eight-year veteran struggled on both sides of the ball.

To his credit, Adames' defense has looked much better lately, and many of the defensive metrics agree. On the year, he has been worth -9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), +3 Outs Above Average (OAA), and +3 Fielding Run Value (FRV) at shortstop.

The Giants signed Adames for a lot of reasons, including his bat. It took some time for things to get going. When Matt Chapman went down with a hand injury on June 10, Adames was struggling badly at the plate, with a .598 OPS through his first 284 plate appearances.

Over his last 24 games, Adames has slashed .318/.390/.529 (156 wRC+) with five home runs, 16 RBI, and 18 runs in 100 plate appearances. The strikeout rate is down slightly at 24.0 percent, and his .212 ISO indicates that he is hitting with a lot of power. He now has a much more palatable .671 OPS on the year.

Adames had one of his biggest games yet in a Giants uniform on Saturday night. He collected three hits, including consecutive two-out, two-run singles to give the Giants a lead. That clutch, two-out hit is something they have been missing for a while. The Giants loaded the bases in the first inning and nearly squandered the potential rally. Adames picked up the rest of the club with a key hit.

They secured a 7-2 win over the A's, and the veteran bat's clutch hitting was a refreshing sight. It was also Matt Chapman's first game back, and the Giants' lineup had a different look to it.

The Giants struggled during Chapman's absence. He missed 23 games, and they went 9-14 while he was on the injured list. It is hard to replace his impact on both sides of the ball. However, Adames filled in nicely on offense, and it looks like his bat is beginning to turn the corner.