In offseason New York Mets rumors about prospective Pete Alonso replacements, first basemen were not the only names considered. The prospect of shifting Mark Vientos across the diamond and finding a third baseman seemed quite real. Third base was hardly a position brimming with talent in free agency. However, shortstop Willy Adames emerged as a leading possibility this offseason to switch to third base if signed by the Mets. He would effectively replace Alonso as the big middle of the order bat.
You either loved the idea or scoffed at it with acid reflux in your throat. Adames had a terrific year with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, with figures that paralleled Alonso’s bad year.
In case you hadn’t noticed, he’s been one of the San Francisco Giants’ weak links.
Willy Adames, once a centerpiece in Mets rumors, is proving his critics right.
Aside from his league-leading 34 games played, Adames has done little to live up to his contract. Although he’ll earn slightly more than $13 million this year and next, the contract increases to more than $31 million in each of the next five years. The Giants were willing to pay less for higher productivity today in exchange for some hardship in the future.
Adames has failed to compensate for his lack of statistical performance at shortstop, where he has an early -0.5 WAR. He has two home runs, 15 RBI, and a slash line of.215/.302/.300, which is not surprising given his track record. Adames has been a fragile player throughout his career, going from one season looking like one of the league’s best offensive shortstops to whatever happened in 2023 when he had a.717 OPS.
The Mets should have no reservations about re-signing Alonso. Aside from the numbers, analytics, and every other number you can think of, he’s the ideal personality fit for the only MLB franchise he’s ever known. Adames’ leisurely start allows us to exhale with greater joy. Even if he improves this year, his seven-year, $182 million contract would have been a waste for a team that needed something new.
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