MLB Writer Expresses Panic About 'Ice-Cold' Ex-Brewers $182 Million Star

It's been a rough season so far for the 29-year-old

Jul 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Milwaukee Brewers hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants experienced a breakthrough moment on Monday night during their 10-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

San Francisco’s star shortstop Willy Adames finally connected on a home run in a Giants uniform.

Besides Monday’s blast, Adames hasn’t looked like the slugging infielder that San Fran spent a fortune on in December.

The former Milwaukee Brewer Adames has had an alarmingly slow start to 2025, which prompted Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller to include Adames in a piece entitled, “MLB Panic Meter on These 7 Ice-cold Players Early in 2025”, which notably came out before Adames finally went yard on Monday.

“San Francisco gave Willy Adames $182M to finally put some real pop in that lineup for the first time since Barry Bonds was still there,” Miller wrote.

“Over the previous four seasons, Adames had averaged 31 home runs and 100 RBI per 162 games played, and he hit free agency fresh off his best season yet. However, he hasn't even flirted with a home run yet, let alone actually hit one. And his value "added" on defense thus far has been much more in line with what he provided last season than what he did in the previous half-decade, which is most unwelcome news for the Giants, who have pretty well committed to him at shortstop for the next seven years.”

“The silver lining on this early storm cloud is that March/April traditionally has been Adames' weakest month, posting a .678 OPS compared to at least .720 in every other month of his career. In 2021, he had a .508 OPS and then exploded for at least an .850 in each of the next four. With any luck, that's how the San Francisco chapter of his career will play out.”

“Not the most promising start, though, for a player whose ability to homer in his new home park was already a major concern on the day he was signed.”

Entering Tuesday, Adames was slashing .203/.278/.297 for the Giants with one home run and seven RBI.

That hasn’t stopped San Francisco from racing out to a 12-4 record, second-best in the big leagues behind the 14-3 San Diego Padres.

The Giants will continue their series versus the Phillies on Tuesday with Justin Verlander on the mound to take on Jesus Luzardo.

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