Who will be the SF Giants shortstop in 2027?

No, seriously. Who will be the SF Giants shortstop in 2027?

When the Giants signed Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million contract, they were aware that he would likely move off that position before the end of the deal.

What was unknown at the time of the signing was exactly when that would happen. Perhaps, they hoped that he would stick at shortstop through the first half of the deal and then shift over to second base. This was always going to be a topic of conversation.

Unfortunately, that conversation might take place sooner than they expect. The Giants already forced one position change within the past 12 months. When Jung Hoo Lee struggled in center field, they brought in Harrison Bader to take over and shift Lee to right field. That decision came after only Lee’s second year of a six-year deal.

SF Giants will need to consider moving another player off a premium position for the second consecutive offseason

Of course, that plan did not work as they had hoped, as Bader has missed most of this second due to injuries and a scooter incident. The outcome remained the same for Lee. Drew Gilbert and Jonah Cox have filled in for what will likely be a permanent absence for Bader.

Shifting an outfielder over is a little different than moving a veteran infielder. Lee has still spent a little time in center field. Moving an infielder is often a little more permanent, and the only time they return to their old position is in an emergency.

The Giants will have to consider a similar option in the offseason. Adames graded out as one of the worst defenders in baseball. Regardless of the defensive metric you use, he was a liability at a premium position. This includes -17 Outs Above Average (OAA), -14 Fielding Run Value (FRV), and -5 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS).

Adames also committed 18 errors in today’s game, where errors are more difficult to assign than even 10 years. The defensive metrics certainly matched the eye test.

In fairness, the nine-year veteran was dealing with a back ailment that likely limited his range. It was commendable for him to try to stay on the field, but Adames’ range seemingly declined as the season progressed.

Adames will be entering his age-31 season, which is not old, but it is around the time that defensive ability at a premium position begins to regress due to age.

Since Adames was placed on the injured list, defense at shortstop has not been much of a topic. Christian Koss has filled in and continues to heat up with more playing time. Casey Schmitt and Osleivis Basabe are the only other Giants players to see even an inning of work at shortstop.

For years, the Giants have preached pitching and defense as part of their identity. Teams cannot overlook defense at a premium position like shortstop and expect favorable results. Plus, the Giants have built their pitching staff around ground ball pitchers. They need someone to field those ground balls.

As the Giants look toward the offseason, they need to know who their shortstop will be in 2027. If it is not Adames, then they will likely need to go with an external option because they are light on competent shortstops on the 40-man depth chart.

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