Why Willy Adames is a perfect fit for the Blue Jays now and in the future

With the first major free-agent name (Blake Snell) coming off the board this week, the Toronto Blue Jays need to be decisive and aggressive in their pursuit of improving on the train wreck that was last season. There may not be a better available fit on the open market than former Milwaukee Brewers infielder Willy Adames.

There has been speculation for months that the two could represent a perfect match, with Bo Bichette coming off the worst season of his career and facing an uncertain future. Now that it appears that Bichette will return, the fit still makes sense with Adames willing to shift over to third base, at least for 2025.

That would leave Ernie Clement on the outside looking in as far as being a starter. At least three other teams are reportedly interested in Adames as a third baseman, so it’s hardly a sure thing but something the front office should certainly pursue.

At 29 years old, he would bring a vital asset to the Jays: power, which they desperately needed last season. He has hit over 20 home runs six times and blasted a career-high of 32 home runs with the Brew Crew in 2024. Throughout his career, he has played in all but 10 of his 880 games at shortstop and is considered an above-average defender However, he has no experience playing third base at the Major League level.

There’s always some risk when asking a player to make a position change halfway through their career, but moving from short to third is easier than the other way around, and adding Adames is such a no-brainer he easily offsets the position switch gamble. 

The great thing about a potential multi-year contract with Adames is that the Dominican native could return to his regular spot in 2026. Although Bichette has said he's committed to wanting to remain in Toronto, there is considerable skepticism surrounding his long-term future with the franchise. With his trade value at an all-time low, it makes sense for the two sides to run it back in 2025 in hopes of a more favorable trade market that may develop going into 2026.

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