SAN FRANCISCO -- When a free agent signs with a new team, it's often up to the clubhouse manager to call afterward and inform him that his previous number isn't available. But that was never the case with new Giants shortstop Willy Adames.
The shortstop is a native of the Dominican Republic, so he knew all along that he would not be able to wear his normal No. 27 in San Francisco. That's retired for Juan Marichal, the first Dominican player to get inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Adames will wear No. 2, which is his favorite number since he was born on Sept. 2 and Derek Jeter was his childhood idol. It's also appropriate given how manager Bob Melvin might use him.
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Melvin is leaning toward hitting Adames second, although he won't necessarily be right behind Jung Hoo Lee, last year's marquee addition. On Tuesday's "Giants Talk," Melvin explained how it could make sense to hit LaMonte Wade Jr. leadoff and have Lee bat third.
"(Lee is) used to hitting third (and) LaMonte Wade has all the characteristics of leading off as far as on-base percentage ... and Jung Hoo might end up more in the middle of the lineup, maybe in the third spot," Melvin said. "We have to be able to go right-left a little bit with the construction of the lineup. It's pretty exciting with (Heliot) Ramos and (Matt) Chapman solidified now. We really do have a pretty deep lineup. You look at where potentially Patrick Bailey is going to hit in that lineup and we're not done with making moves. I'm pretty excited about where we are today and we're still here in December."
Adames primarily hit cleanup last year with the Milwaukee Brewers but is Melvin's best choice as a No. 2 hitter. Wade's numbers dropped off in the second half but he had a .380 on-base percentage a season after finishing at .373. Lee was primarily a leadoff hitter last year but Melvin started experimenting with him in the three-spot after a few weeks, just before he got hurt.
Having those three at the top would allow Melvin to bump others -- particularly his young hitters -- down in the lineup. The bottom three could be made up of some variation of Patrick Bailey, Tyler Fitzgerald and Mike Yastrzemski, all of whom spent some time near the top of the order last season. Bailey hit third or fourth in 35 games last year, but that's not the expectation going into 2025.
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The Giants still could add a bat to bring more depth, although they don't intend to sign an everyday designated hitter. The staff didn't like having that role locked up by Jorge Soler in the first half last year and Melvin's preference is to rotate those DH at-bats among his regulars and get them more rest. Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Santana and other veterans remain on the market if the Giants want to sign someone who can get first base at-bats and also DH on occasion.
The Giants won't be able to match Ohtani-Betts-Freeman, or even Tatis-Machado and Lindor-Soto, but Melvin is hopeful that they can be a productive lineup because of their depth. Six of his eight projected everyday starters were better than league-average by wRC+ last season and Fitzgerald, Chapman, Ramos, Wade and Adames all finished at 119 or above.
"It looks to be a much deeper lineup and I think with some of the younger guys, whether it's Ramos or Patrick Bailey -- at times he had to hit third or fourth for us last year, too -- being able to put them in spots where it lengthens the lineup and maybe takes a little pressure off some young guys, it's probably not a bad thing," Melvin said.
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