After Willy Adames belted a go-ahead homer Sunday, Bally Sports analyst Bill Schroeder may have said it best. “It seems like every homer he hits puts the team in the lead late.”
Willy Adames can be a bit frustrating to watch at times. No matter how you slice it, though, the shortstop is key to the Brewers’ success.
There will be some at-bats where you shake your head watching. However, more often than not, Adames seems to deliver in big moments. He’s also a stabilizing force on a team full of young players. Adames has started all 73 of the Brewers’ games.
Adames continues to produce for Brewers despite struggles
Adames has been dependable and a staple in the middle of the Brewers lineup. His power is key to the team as well, especially with Rhys Hoskins missing time and just returning recently to the lineup.
Adames sports a slash line of .248/.328/.430. It’s nothing to jump off the page, but when you consider Adames had a 7-for-70 stretch, he’s been pretty good the rest of the time.
Also, despite the streakiness, Adames’s numbers stack up and he either leads or is second in nearly every major offensive category for the Brewers. Adames leads the Brewers with 12 homers, 51 RBI, 35 walks and is tied with Contreras for the team lead with 17 doubles. The Brewers shortstop is also second in hits (66), total bases (119) and runs scored (38).
Currently there are just three Brewers with a WAR – Wins Above Replacement – over 2 and Adames surprisingly probably to some, leads the team with a 2.6 WAR. Adames’ 2.6 WAR is good enough for top-20 in all of baseball, according to Fangraphs.
Adames is a streaky player. He goes through peaks and valleys sometimes quite prolonged stretches. When it’s good, it’s good; when it’s bad, it’s bad. In April, Adames had a .362 on-base percentage with an .807 OPS.
Since then, though, Adames has been scuffling with an OBP below .300 in May and sitting at .303 in June thus far. In June, Adames is just 10 for 56 for a .179 average. Despite this, Adames has hit huge homers in June, including a go-ahead 3-run homer vs. the Reds Sunday.
Despite his scuffles, by all accounts he’s an unreal teammate, who the young players love. Also, he is likely going to get a hefty pay raise for a different ball club this offseason.
Brewers need Adames’ pop in lineup every day
The Brewers though absolutely should keep him through this season. With the improved lineup, Adames is a steadying force. Adames also seems to have a flair for the dramatic and seems to come through in a lot of clutch situations. Of Adames’s 12 homers this season, half are three-run homers.
With runners in scoring position, Adames is hitting .270 and in late & close situations, he is hitting over .300. According to Baseball Reference, late & close plate appearances in the 7th or later with the batting team tied, ahead by one, or the tying run at least on deck.
Also, Adames is a barometer for the team. In the Brewers’ 44 wins this season, he’s hitting over .300 with 12 homers and 46 RBI. Adames hasn’t hit a homer and driven in just six runs in the team’s 30 losses.
Bottom line: Brewers need to ride out Adames tenure
While Adames can be a bit frustrating and streaky, he is vital to the Brewers’ success. The young Brewers look to Adames as a leader and Adames has been that. Adames also despite his frustrations is clutch and embraces the moment. He also seems to get the Crew to play loose and free.
Also despite the frustrations, Adames leads the Brewers in homers and RBI and when he produces, the Brewers typically win, hitting all 12 of his homers in Brewer wins and driving in all but six of his runs this season in wins. While he is almost assuredly gone following the season, the Brewers should ride it out and go for what feels like the best chance the Brewers have had in years of making a deep MLB Postseason run.
