Brewers manager Pat Murphy has seen many talented players leave Milwaukee, and he’s not ready to think about next season without shortstop Willy Adames.
“He was a leader in our clubhouse. He did as much for the ballclub as anybody,” Murphy said on Monday at the winter meetings.
After helping the Brewers win the National League Central last season, the 29-year-old Adames is leaving for free agency after agreeing to a seven-year, $182 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.
“I can’t say enough about who he is. Player skills are what they are. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. But who this guy is and how he goes about his business — how he treats people, how he treats his teammates, how he leads.
Big void,” Murphy said. “We lost a lot. We lost (Cy Young winner Corbin) Burnes. We lost (All-Star closer Josh) Hader in the recent years. But losing this guy, whew.”
Adames just had his best offensive season in the major leagues, hitting .251 with a career-high 32 homers and 112 RBIs, playing 161 games.
Although it was Murphy’s first season as manager and he was named NL Manager of the Year, he had been part of Craig Counsell’s staff for the previous eight seasons, including the entire time Adames played for the Brewers after being traded from Tampa Bay in May 2021.
Adames has been a consistent power hitter, with 150 home runs since his debut with Tampa Bay in 2018. He is also a strong defensive shortstop with a powerful arm and good range, though his metrics were a little lower this year.
“He’s a good player, man. You can break down a lot of things. There’s a lot of situations year to year,” Murphy said. “Everybody, as they get older, it looks like their defensive metrics change. Willy knows how to play. His confidence is at an all-time high. He puts pressure on himself. He’s his own worst critic, but he’s a total ballplayer. But he has weaknesses like everyone else.”
Murphy is happy for Adames personally, even though he will miss having him in Milwaukee.
“The human being that he is, that’s what makes him great. His attitude that he brings every single day, how he goes about his business, consummate professional,” Murphy said. “Played 161 games and would have played 162. This kid is special. He deserves everything he gets. I couldn’t be happier.”
