Giants Lineup Revival: Adames, Schmitt, and Matos Spark Hope

San Francisco’s $182 million shortstop and two young bats are giving the offense a badly needed boost.

It’s fair to say June 8 was a turning point for the San Francisco Giants—especially for Willy Adames. It was the first game Adames had missed all year, and what followed was one of the most dramatic turnarounds in baseball.

Entering the day, Adames—the Giants’ big, $182 million offseason signing—was MLB’s 13th-worst qualified hitter, with a 68 wRC+ (32% below league average).

After being given his first day off of the season on June 8, followed by a team off day on June 9 before heading into Denver, Adames got the physical and mental reset he needed. And it worked.

Since returning to the lineup on June 10, Adames has been baseball’s 19th-best hitter, with a 142 wRC+. The before-and-after numbers are astonishing:

Adames’ 2.8 fWAR since June 8 ranks 9th in MLB, sandwiched between Fernando Tatis Jr. (2.9) and Juan Soto (2.7).

Before his first game off, Adames was playing at a 0.4 fWAR per 600 plate appearance pace. Since? 6.1 fWAR per 600 PA.

Adames’ turnaround is huge for the Giants. Just two-plus months into his 7-year, $182 million contract, it was already looking like a potential disaster. Now, his overall numbers are much more reassuring, and finally in line with the expectations attached to a deal that size.

Adames’ resurgence is huge for the Giants, but he’s not alone. Casey Schmitt and Luis Matos are injecting youth, energy, and production into a lineup that badly needed it.

Casey Schmitt’s season has been broken up by unfortunately timed injuries, but it’s not hard to see what’s happening. He’s developing before our eyes, transforming from someone who swung at everything into a far more disciplined—and dangerous—hitter.