RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 05: Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants at bat against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 23: Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants gets to home safely as catcher Connor Wong #12 of the Boston Red Sox makes a late tag during the first inning at Fenway Park on August 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) Getty
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 30: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants walks to the dugout during the third inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacksat Chase Field on June 30, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Getty
The San Francisco Giants announced a series of 10 transactions before their series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. The biggest move of them all was placing shortstop Willy Adames on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left elbow.
Adames, 30, suffered an elbow injury in their series finale against the Boston Red Sox. He told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic that it happened when he slid home in the first inning. Adames eventually left the game in the fifth inning.
Willy Adames will get an MRI on his left elbow tomorrow. He got hurt sliding into the plate in the first inning and it got worse as the game went on. In a cruel twist, he said his back had actually started to feel much better in recent days.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) August 23, 2026
The veteran infielder underwent an MRI after the game, which revealed the sprain. Pavlovic relays that it’s a moderate sprain, which could mean a lengthy stint on the injured list.
With just five weeks left in the season, the Giants could shut Adames down for the season. However, manager Tony Vitello told Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle that they expect Adames back before the end of the season.
Tony Vitello said he expects Willy Adames (left elbow sprain) back before the end of the season, “But by nature of the 10-day, it’ll be a little bit of time.”
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) August 24, 2026
Recapping Willy Adames Disappointing 2026 Season for the Giants
Getty Willy Adames suffered a sprained left elbow against the Boston Red Sox. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The injury news more or less cements a rough second season in San Francisco for Willy Adames. In 2026, the 30-year-old slashed .230/.289/.424 with 21 home runs and a 97 wRC+.
It also didn’t help that he struggled defensively and on the bases. FanGraphs credits him with -2.8 baserunning runs and -17 Outs Above Average at shortstop. In 121 games, Adames was worth just 0.4 fWAR.
Being a slightly below-average player in all facets of the game is probably not what the Giants envisioned when they handed Adames $182 million. While his first year was mostly up to par, he’ll enter his third year in San Francisco with a lot of questions lingering over him.
What the Willy Adames News Means for the Giants
Getty The Giants are without three of their four Opening Day starting infielders with a month left in the 2026 season. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The immediate takeaway from the Willy Adames news is that the Giants will be without their starting shortstop for the foreseeable future. That means the club is without three of their four starting infielders from their Opening Day lineup. Only first baseman Rafael Devers remains.
All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on deadline day. Matt Chapman is done for the season after undergoing sports hernia surgery . Additionally, Casey Schmitt is recovering from a meniscectomy in late July and is facing a tight window to return before the end of the season.
The club called infielders Shay Whitcomb and Nate Furman from Triple-A Sacramento. Whitcomb projects to take over at shortstop for Adames.
The former Astros infielder is a career .167 hitter in 102 plate appearances in the big leagues. The Giants claimed Whitcomb off waivers on August 13 and optioned him to Triple-A. He already spent the minimum 10 days on an optional assignment, although he’s also replacing an injured player.
Marcelo Mayer , who the Giants got for left-hander Erik Miller, is battling a bone bruise in his right foot. Mayer will meet with team doctors, but he’s currently not doing baseball work, reports Pavlovic .
Looking at the long-term outlook, there are still five years left in Adames’ contract. In total, the Giants still owe the 30-year-old $140 million. And it doesn’t help that the club is already underwater on the contract.
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