Willy Adames walked off the field in the seventh inning of Sunday’s win over Atlanta with his lower back locked up. Two days later, the Giants got the kind of news that could shape what they do before the trade deadline.
The MRI came back clean. No structural damage. That’s the good part. The tricky part is that Adames still wasn’t in the starting lineup on Tuesday, and manager Tony Vitello said he’s only available in an emergency. For a team hovering around .500 and trying to decide whether to buy or sell, the timing couldn’t be weirder.
Adames told reporters the back spasms had been building for a few days before they finally shut him down. Vitello confirmed it wasn’t just one swing that did it. It was the accumulation of something that had been nagging him, and by the time he took that last at-bat, his body just gave out.
What does this mean for the trade deadline?
The Giants have a shortstop who’s hitting .231 with 14 homers and 32 RBIs in 81 games. Those numbers are fine, not great, but he’s been an everyday player. If he’s healthy, he’s an asset. If there’s any doubt about the back, other teams might pause before offering anything significant in a trade. And if the Giants decide to move him, they need him on the field to prove he’s OK.
Adames is under contract through next season, so it’s not like this is a rental situation where they have to decide right now. But the front office has to weigh whether this team is close enough to compete or if it’s time to shuffle the roster. A lingering back issue complicates that math.
For now, the plan is day to day. The Giants don’t play again until Friday against Colorado, which buys a little extra time. Vitello didn’t offer much beyond saying they’ll see how he feels each morning. That’s about as honest as it gets.
Adames has been a steady presence in the lineup, even if the batting average doesn’t jump off the page. But back injuries are tricky for position players, especially shortstops who have to move laterally and start and stop constantly. One wrong twist and the whole thing could flare up again.
The Giants are in a weird spot. They’re not bad enough to blow it up, not good enough to go all in. And now their starting shortstop is day to day with a back that just won’t cooperate. Friday night against the Rockies will tell us a lot — both about Adames and about what this team might look like in August.
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