Ex-Brewers Star Watching Milwaukee's Success From Afar After Free Agency Departure

Willy Adames was a huge key to the Milwaukee Brewers' success in 2024. In 2025, he's a San Francisco Giant.

After helping the Brewers to three division titles in his four seasons in Milwaukee, Adames signed a seven-year contract with the Giants in December. Yet in spite of a major offensive downgrade at shortstop, Adames' old position, the Brewers are better than ever.

Even after losing three in a row, the Brewers have Major League Baseball's best record at 79-48. The Giants, meanwhile, sit in fourth place in the National League West at 61-66, 6 1/2 games back of a potential wild card spot.

Willy Adames prepares for return to Milwaukee

Willy Adames and Freddy Peralta — Apr 21, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (2) and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) share a laugh during batting practice before the game at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

This weekend, Adames will make his first trip back to Milwaukee as a visitor since his departure. The Giants are reeling, even after adding another star hitter in Rafael Devers in a trade back in June, while the Brewers are the toast of the league? How must that feel for the 29-year-old?

Adames kept it all class in his most recent comments about his former team, saying he's glad to see the people he respects in the organization having success.

“They have something special going on,” Adames said earlier this week, per Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. “I don’t know the motivation behind it, but I know they have good people there.

“They definitely have good energy going because you don’t win that many games without good energy in the clubhouse and good relationships in there. I know maybe 95 percent of the guys there and I’m happy for them. It looks like they’re having fun every day.”

For the Giants, Adames is slashing .222/.308/.392 with 19 home runs, a few steps below the production he gave Milwaukee last year. In the two teams' first series of the year back in April, Adames went 3-for-15 as the Giants took three out of four games.

The Brewers have hardly missed a beat with Joey Ortiz as their starting shortstop, even with the 27-year-old putting up a .615 OPS, among the worst marks by any qualified hitters in the sport. They win with defense, baserunning, and timely hitting, though they may at some point miss the home run potential Adames provided.

From Friday to Sunday, the Brewers will square off with their old friend. But one team is headed to October and the other appears doomed, so it's easy to speculate which side is feeling better about the breakup.

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