Willy Adames, the guy who *prides himself* on playing every single day, might actually be done for the San Francisco Giants this season. Their shortstop is dealing with a left elbow strain, and after getting a platelet-rich plasma injection Thursday night, the estimated recovery time is a gut-punch: three to four weeks.
Adames’ Iron Man Streak Snapped, Numbers Lagging
Dude, a month left in the season and you’re looking at 3-4 weeks to recover? Yeah, Adames’ return to action in 2026 is looking super iffy. Giants manager Tony Vitello didn’t mince words, asking “I don’t know how reasonable or realistic that is,” about Adames potentially playing again. To make matters worse, there are no minor-league teams active for a rehab assignment at this point in the season. Think about it: this is a guy who only missed two games with the Giants *last year* and just one with Milwaukee the year before that. He’s an iron man! If he’s sidelined for the rest of the way, Adames would finish with a .230 average and 21 home runs in 121 games. And let’s be real, the guy’s been battling back issues all season too. Rushing him back just doesn’t make any sense, especially with the Giants already out of contention.
Young Guns Up, Vets Out: A Clear Shift in San Francisco
With Adames likely out, the Giants are officially shifting focus. Their priorities are all about getting a look at the younger players. Manager Vitello even mentioned that while Adames *could* get some DH at-bats if he returned, other guys like Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge need those reps way more right now. The silver lining for Adames is that it’s his non-throwing arm and surgery has been “ruled out” for now, according to Vitello, after seeing orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister. But it’s not just Adames on the injury front. Catcher/utility man Jesús Rodríguez is also seeing Dr. Meister after a setback with elbow neuritis, and starter Adrian Houser, who also got hit with an elbow strain diagnosis this week, isn’t throwing for a few days before reexamination. He *could* return this season, but man, the injuries just keep piling up.
And then there’s the roster shuffle. Infielder Buddy Kennedy, who was hitting a tough .116 in 49 plate appearances, got designated for assignment. This opened up a spot for Eldridge to come back off the bereavement list. Vitello was super high on Kennedy, calling him “the inside man” and a “huge help” with the younger guys. Kennedy, showing true class, even went to coaches like Ron Washington to ask how he could get better, instead of being sour. That’s a good dude right there, even if the numbers weren’t working out.
So, yeah, it’s a tough pill to swallow for the Giants. With Adames likely out for the long haul, and other guys banged up, it’s clear what the last month of their season is all about: seeing what they’ve got in the farm system. Keep an eye on those younger guys like Devers and Eldridge getting more at-bats. For San Francisco fans, that’s probably the only real reason to tune in these last few weeks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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