SAN FRANCISCO — In his first season as a San Francisco Giant, shortstop Willy Adames has been named the 2025 Willie Mac Award winner.
Since its inception in 1980, the Willie Mac Award, named after Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, goes to the most inspirational Giant in a given season. The award is voted on by players, coaches, fans, training staff and clubhouse staff.
The past winners who were in attendance on Friday included third baseman Matt Chapman (2024), designated hitter/first baseman Wilmer Flores (2022) and former catcher and current president of baseball operations Buster Posey (2012).
“He’s the same guy every day,” said manager Bob Melvin. “He loves playing baseball. Even now, he doesn’t want days off. He wants to keep playing. It’s enthusiasm, it’s support for his teammates, it’s energetic, it’s every day — almost as advertised from what I’ve heard before (he signed).
“And now you look up and you see the numbers, too, the numbers are there as well after a slow start, which can be difficult in a new place. I’m very impressed with Willy Adames.”
Entering Friday, Adames led all Giants in FanGraphs’ WAR (3.7). Over a team-high 157 games, Adames was hitting .225/.318/.415 with 28 home runs, 84 RBIs, 91 runs scored and 12 steals.
Adames had a rocky start to his tenure in San Francisco after signing a seven-year, $182 million deal this offseason, the largest contract in franchise history at the time. By the end of May, Adames’ .620 OPS was the lowest mark among the Giants’ qualified hitters. Adames also rated out as a below-average defender as well, worth -3 outs above average through two months.
The turning point of Adames’ season arrived in early June. On June 8, Adames was given his first off day of the season. On June 9, Adames spent the Giants’ team off day meditating in the mountains of Colorado, which “made me go back to my roots.”
“That (day) put me in a better spot mentally. Since that day, I was like, ‘Just be yourself,’ ” Adames said. “It’s been better. It’s been going in the right direction even though we haven’t been playing the best ball as a team. We’re moving forward.”
Adames has been one of the best players in baseball since receiving that mental respite. Since June 10, Adames ranks 10th among all players in the majors in FanGraphs’ WAR, posting an .840 OPS with 23 homers and 58 RBIs during that span.
The 30-year-old shortstop entered Friday two homers away from becoming the first Giant to hit 30 homers in a single season since Barry Bonds in 2004. His 28 home runs as a shortstop are the second-most in the majors, trailing only the New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor (31).
“He took it hard that the offensive numbers weren’t there early on, but again, he’s picked it up and he’s on the verge of hitting 30 homers,” Melvin said.
Worth noting