The San Francisco Giants have enjoyed a promising start to the 2025 season, holding a 31-25 record under Buster Posey’s leadership in baseball operations. Positioned just one game behind the Cardinals for the final National League Wild Card spot and three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West race, the club has outperformed preseason expectations set by Fangraphs, which predicted an 81-81 finish and only a 28.5% chance of making the playoffs. Despite the team’s overall success, their marquee offseason acquisition, Willy Adames, has struggled significantly in his first season with the Giants.
Defensive Difficulties Mark Adames’s Adjustment to San Francisco
Known for his strong defensive skills, Adames has experienced a troubling start defensively. Advanced metrics reflect a decline, including a -3 Outs Above Average and -2 Fielding Run Value, both concerning for a player who was a Gold Glove finalist just two years ago. His Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) are especially alarming; at -8, he ranks last among qualifying shortstops in 2025. Furthermore, only a few players like Manny Machado and Elly De La Cruz have committed more errors this season, emphasizing the challenges Adames faces in his new home at Oracle Park.
Offensive Production Falters as Power and Consistency Decline
Adames’s offensive numbers have also been underwhelming. He is hitting .208 with an on-base percentage of .288 and a slugging percentage of .333, resulting in a wRC+ of 77—well below league average. While his strikeout and walk rates—26.2% and 9.8%, respectively—are near his past career outputs, they represent his poorest production in these areas since 2022. The most glaring issue is his drop in power: from averaging 28 home runs annually between 2021 and 2024, Adames has only hit five homers through his first 56 games with the Giants.
Ballpark and Hitting Approach Contribute to Power Loss
Oracle Park’s pitcher-friendly dimensions partly explain Adames’s reduced home run totals. Statcast data suggests he could have hit up to eight home runs if playing at a more hitter-friendly venue like Dodger Stadium. However, environmental factors aren’t the whole story. Although Adames’s barrel rate remains steady near 11%, his batted ball profile has shifted notably. He is pulling the ball less and increasing the frequency of softly hit balls, which typically leads to weaker offensive results. This change in approach, combined with the ballpark’s challenging conditions for right-handed opposite-field hitters, has suppressed his power production.
Potential for Adjustment and Improved Performance
Adames’s altered hitting style, unfortunately, aligns poorly with his current home stadium, leading to some of the worst stats in his career. But should he revert to the hitting tactics that brought success during the 2023 and 2024 seasons—rejecting opposite-field contact in favor of pulling the ball more often—his offensive performance could rebound significantly. While matching his impressive 119 wRC+ from last year might be unrealistic at this stage, reaching league average production or even approximating his previous four-year wRC+ of 107 remains attainable.
Fan Perspectives and Outlook for the Remainder of the Season
The question now is whether Willy Adames can adjust to the challenges presented by Oracle Park and regain the form that made him a valuable player before joining the Giants. Fans and analysts alike are watching to see if he can reverse his slump and contribute both defensively and offensively in meaningful ways as the Giants strive for a postseason berth. How readers expect his season to unfold remains a topic of debate, with opinions ranging from hopeful adjustments leading to a bounce-back performance to continued struggles defining his first year in San Francisco.