Why Giants Should Continue Willy Adames Experiment at Leadoff

The San Francisco Giants had an awful opening series with the New York Yankees.

The offense managed just one run in three games, set both franchise and MLB records for fewest hits and runs in their first two games and tied a franchise record for most consecutive innings to start a season without a run.

It’s early in the season, but San Francisco resorted to a drastic measure to start the series with the San Diego Padres on Monday — put Willy Adames at leadoff.

It was a rare move. Before Monday he batted leadoff in the final game of the 2025 season as he chased 30 home runs. Before that, his last turn in the leadoff spot was in 2018.

The Giants (2-4) won two out of three games against the Padres with Adames at the leadoff spot. Here’s why the experiment should continue, for now.

Giants Get a Jolt From Adames

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In his three games in the leadoff spot Adames slashed .385/.385/.692 with a 1.077 OPS. Most of his work came in Tuesday’s game, where he went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. He doubled and hit his first home run of the season, a leadoff shot to start the game. But he went 1-for-4 in the opener and went 0-for-4 on Wednesday.

Adames didn’t draw a walk but he only struck out three times for the series. Most importantly, in the two games where Adames had at least one hit the Giants won both games and outscored the Padres, 12-5, for those two games.

After what happened at home against the Yankees, it’s a start. Adames boosted his average from .133 after Monday’s game to .250 after Wednesday’s game. Several other players in the lineup saw their batting numbers go up, partially with Adames at the top of the order.

The interesting part of this decision is the small amount of experience Adames has at the lineup spot. While he last batted leadoff in a game that didn’t involve a home run chase in 2018, it was his only game as a leadoff hitter before last season. He went 2-for-5 in that game with Milwaukee.

So factor in his scant experience as a leadoff hitter he has a slash of .381/.381/.714 with a 1.095 OPS with one double and two home runs.

That’s a track record good enough for the Giants to give Adames a little more rope when it comes to determine if he’s the right hitter for the spot. There are backups. But if this is a taste of how productive he can be, it could transform the lineup.