One of the worst things that can happen when it comes to free agents or trades is when a fan base falls in love with a guy who has name recognition. Sure, it is true that guys get name recognition from being good players, but that recognition often lasts far longer than their ability to actually deserve it. For the Atlanta Braves, there is one shortstop trade target that could be this sort of trap at the trade deadline.
When he was a free agent, Willy Adames was a very popular name in terms of being connected to the Braves. He was one of the better bats available on the free agent market period and also happened to play at a position of need. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), the Giants coveted Adames more and ended up inking him to a seven-year, $182 million deal.
Well, the Braves still need a shortstop, and it sounds like Adames could be available in trade, but that doesn't mean it is something that Atlanta should immediately pursue.
Willy Adames' red flags should give Braves pause at the trade deadline unless the Giants eat a lot of his contract
Again, if you ask casual Braves fans, they would get excited at the idea of trading for Adames. Now, some of that stems from not wanting to watch Ha-Seong Kim and Jorge Mateo butcher at-bats, but Adames is a name that they would recognize and assume that he would be a major upgrade. While it would be hard to not be better than Kim or Mateo at this point, that doesn't mean that any trade for Adames should automatically get a seal of approval.
Adames has never been a guy that wowed anyone with his hit tool, but the quality of contact combined with his defense made up for any deficits from his lower batting average. However, that has not been the case at all in 2026, as his Statcast page is downright spooky, and other than the 15 homers he has hit, it is hard to point to anything positive, including his usually excellent baserunning and defense. At the end of the day, a .701 OPS at a premium position doesn't move the needle much.
Complicating matters is that contract of his. San Francisco has to be motivated to get Adames' money off their books, but that is a very tough sell. Starting next season, Adames is making over $31 million a year through the 2031 season. What sane team would EVER willingly trade for a guy with Adames' current level of production and take on that payroll hit? Moreover, that doesn't even account for the fact that the Braves' lineup is already too imbalanced towards left-handed bats.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't a framework for an Adames trade that could make sense for the Braves. Any deal would have to start with San Francisco eating a significant portion of Adames' contract, but if the Giants could do that and be reasonable in trade talks, there is a world where Atlanta should entertain the idea, especially if they think they can unlock more out of him. After all, the Braves still need a shortstop, and while Adames hasn't been great, it is certainly true that he has a better chance of being decent than who the Braves have in uniform right now.
Add us as a preferred source on Google