Adames teases ‘really positive’ Burnes-to-Giants recruitment pitch originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Willy Adames wasted no time helping recruit free agents to the Giants.
After San Francisco’s newest shortstop said in his introductory press conference last week at Oracle Park that he would reach out to former Milwaukee Brewers teammate and current free-agent pitcher Corbin Burnes about signing with the Giants, Adames followed through with his plan and shared in an interview with KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Monday that he indeed did speak with Burnes in recent days.
“I already did. I’m doing my part, I’m recruiting. I’m helping,” Adames told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher. “I hope, you know, we can make that happen, because that would be an incredible addition to the team. When you have a guy like Corbin on your team, that’s like a 99 percent [chance] you’re winning that day.
“That’s a guy I love to play with and play defense for, and he’s one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever played with, and obviously if we could add him to the team it would be an insane move, but we’re hoping and doing our part in every department so hopefully we can make it happen.”
Adames would not go into detail about his conversation with Burnes, but did tease that it went very well.
“It went great, it went amazing,” Adames shared. “I think it went really, really positive. So I think that’s the only thing I can say right now, but it went really, really positive.”
Burnes widely is regarded as the best remaining free-agent pitcher on the market, and the Giants have been connected to the 30-year-old throughout the offseason.
Adames believes pitching for the Giants at Oracle Park would be mutually beneficial for Burnes and San Francisco.
“I think for a pitcher that should be really exciting playing in a ballpark like that, that you know you have a better chance of success,” Adames said of Burnes potentially pitching at Oracle Park. “I think that’s a positive thought that you’ve got to have on the decision you’re making.”
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic reported last Thursday, citing sources, that the Giants were “in the thick” of the Burnes market, however, it’s unclear where they stand as of Monday.
If San Francisco can sign the former Cy Young Award winner, will Adames’ recruiting efforts have played at least somewhat of a role in president of baseball operations Buster Posey landing another big free agent?
