Buster Posey held the San Francisco Giants’ report for the biggest contract in franchise historical past. In Posey’s first main transfer because the membership’s president of baseball operations, he didn’t hesitate to smash it.
The Giants agreed to phrases with free-agent shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year, $182 million contract on Saturday, reshaping the left aspect of their infield for the rest of the last decade and signaling their resolve to stay aggressive as they search to reestablish their relevance within the National League West. The settlement with Adames is pending a bodily — greater than an insignificant element given the medical points that scuttled Carlos Correa’s $350 million contract following the 2022 season — and its assured cash would soar previous Posey’s personal nine-year, $167 million contract that he signed after successful the NL MVP Award in 2012.
With Adames and third baseman Matt Chapman, who signed a six-year, $150 million extension in September, the Giants have dedicated a 3rd of a billion {dollars} to ascertain a strong offensive and defensive presence on the left aspect of their infield. Viewed collectively, these investments usually are not so totally different from the megadeals that the Texas Rangers gave to shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien after the 2021 season — a $500 million wager that paid off when the Rangers gained the primary World Series title in franchise historical past two years later.
Adames, 29, earned 4.8 fWAR final season when he completed fourth within the majors with 112 RBIs, set profession highs in dwelling runs (32) and stolen bases (21), and led the Milwaukee Brewers to the NL Central title. Likely simply as vital to Posey and the Giants, Adames was a revered chief in Milwaukee, praised for his sturdiness and his potential to supply within the clutch. He was among the many league’s greatest defenders at shortstop in 2023, and though a number of of his superior metrics declined this previous season, there’s little doubt that he represents an improve with the glove over the Giants’ inside choices on the place.
Perhaps essentially the most revealing facet of the Giants’ gorgeous settlement, which got here on the eve of baseball’s Winter Meetings in Dallas, is the way it displays on Posey, who had been one thing of a cipher in his temporary tenure as a first-time baseball govt, filling out front-office positions and including advisory voices however in any other case offering few specifics on how aggressive he could be at enhancing a staff that completed 80-82 in 2024 whereas lacking the postseason for the seventh time in eight seasons.
But Posey had been clear on one level: He recognized buying a shortstop because the membership’s high precedence. And the Giants simply agreed to signal the highest shortstop on the free-agent market.
As a participant, Buster Posey was an issue solver. (G Fiume / Getty Images)
Posey had a expertise for chopping via the noise throughout his profession behind the plate, tackling issues head-on, carving a direct path and avoiding the lure of overthinking. If his first main transfer because the Giants’ chief baseball architect is any indication, he’ll lean on those self same attributes and impulses whereas looking for to shut the sizable hole between his staff and the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Identify downside. Fix downside.
Posey wasn’t sufficiently deterred by the truth that signing Adames, who had been prolonged a qualifying provide by the Brewers, will pressure the Giants to sacrifice their second- and fifth-round picks together with $1 million in worldwide bonus cash from their 2026 pool. Those aren’t any small issues for a franchise that additionally punted its second- and third-round picks on this previous draft after signing Chapman and left-hander Blake Snell the earlier offseason. The Giants wouldn’t have misplaced draft picks if they’d pivoted from Adames to shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, a favourite of Giants supervisor Bob Melvin from their time collectively in San Diego however who can be persevering with to rehab from offseason shoulder surgical procedure on Opening Day.
But Adames was clearly the most effective shortstop available on the market. And Posey stored it so simple as that.
“Ultimately, it’s a boring reply, however you simply need full baseball gamers,” Posey mentioned on the GM Meetings in November. “You need guys who can do a few of the whole lot.”
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Interestingly, Posey’s first main free-agent signing is a fellow CAA shopper. The Giants lately introduced the hiring of Jeff Berry, Posey’s former agent and the previous head of CAA’s baseball division, as a particular advisor.
ESPN was the primary to report the settlement. The Giants aren’t anticipated to announce it till late Sunday or Monday.
The addition of Adames would push Tyler Fitzgerald into a contest at second base with Casey Schmitt, Brett Wisely and doubtlessly Marco Luciano if the group’s former high prospect isn’t traded or moved to the outfield.
The greatest query turns into how aggressive the Giants can be to handle their second main want: a pitching presence for a rotation that threw the fewest innings within the National League even supposing their opening-day ace, Logan Webb, threw essentially the most on a person foundation. Several experiences have linked the Giants to former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, a Bakersfield-area native who competed at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga and would give the Giants the most effective 1-2 punches within the league.
Before final season with the Baltimore Orioles, Burnes had spent his complete major-league profession with the Brewers so the addition of Adames is likely to be a promoting level in any Giants’ try at a pursuit. Both gamers are very well-known to Zack Minasian, the Giants’ newly elevated GM, who had been the scouting director in Milwaukee throughout his 14 seasons with the group. Minasian had been one of many strongest voices to champion Burnes when the right-hander confirmed promise within the minor leagues, advising then-Brewers GM Doug Melvin to make the previous fourth-round decide virtually untouchable in commerce discussions.
On a money foundation, the Giants spent $206 million on participant salaries final season, exceeded the posh tax threshold ($237 million) for the primary time since 2018 and sustained working losses that triggered some discomfort amongst members of the possession group. Their placeholder price range numbers for 2025 had known as for a discount in participant payroll, which could nonetheless be achieved even when the membership can win the bidding for Burnes — a market that’s anticipated to exceed $200 million — in addition to Adames.
Adding Adames’ $26 million common annual worth would put the Giants’ estimated cash-basis payroll at roughly $170 million. If the Giants search to trim in different areas, they might commerce a number of of their arbitration-eligible gamers (LaMonte Wade Jr. and Camilo Doval amongst them). Or they might signal certainly one of a number of second-tier beginning pitchers who gained’t come low cost — witness Luis Severino’s three-year, $67 million contract with the A’s — however would require a fraction of what it could take to land Burnes, who notably left CAA for the Boras Corporation in 2023 and whose potential signing additionally would price the Giants their third- and sixth-round draft picks.
Or Posey might do what he demonstrated so usually over his taking part in profession: reduce via the noise, go after the most effective participant, and persuade possession to spend.
“I do know we’ll be very diligent in our decision-making,” Posey mentioned final month. “But one thing I’ve tried to inject with the group is for us to not be hamstrung from that potential concern of failure. It’s realizing that, ‘Hey, typically we’re going to should danger media members saying this was a foul resolution or a foul transfer.’ But if we really feel convicted in it, then it’s important to be OK with it.”
(Top picture of Adames: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)
