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The San Francisco Giants have a brand new front office after a disappointing 80-win season. They signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a long-term extension and are looking to add more infielders. Over in Milwaukee, the Brewers clinched the NL Central because of a great season from shortstop Willy Adames. Now, Adames could be headed to the Giants in free agency, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
“[Willy] Adames would be a better fit for the San Francisco Giants, who desperately need a shortstop. As The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly reported, the Giants anticipate a reduction in payroll,” Rosenthal wrote.
He continued with alternate options at shortstop, “Perhaps Ha-Seong Kim would be a more suitable fit, coming at a lower price as he recovers from shoulder surgery and without the additional cost of a draft pick (both Adames and Bregman received qualifying offers). But Kim, even when healthy, would not make as much of an offensive impact as Adames.”
The highlight of the Giants' season was the meteoric rise of infielder Tyler Fitzgerald. In 96 games, he posted a 134 OPS+ with 15 homers and 34 RBIs. While he was primarily a shortstop, he moved all over the field and could be used anywhere.
The Giants are searching for a difference-making shortstop
While the Giants had a poor season last year, they have the pieces in place to have a solid 2025 campaign. They lost Blake Snell to the Dodgers but still have Logan Webb. Chapman is sticking around and Jung-ho Lee should be healthy. Adding a stellar shortstop like Adames could give them a great chance in the NL Wild Card race.
The issue for the Giants is their division rival. The Dodgers continue to add to a World Series roster and will be favored to run away with the NL West again. While Adames could be a great member of the offense, it is the defense where he would make the biggest impact. Chapman is one of the best defenders at third base and Adames had a great season at short.
The only reason that Adames could be a bad fit for the Giants is because of his cost. Buster Posey said that the team is looking to cut payroll this offseason and Adames will be quite expensive. If that is the case, Rosenthal says that Ha-Seong Kim could be a good low-cost option. Either way, the Giants need an infielder and can get one in free agency.
