Willy Adames entered last season, his first with the San Francisco Giants, with high expectations and in many ways he delivered.

He signed a seven-year deal worth $182 million, which broke a franchise record set by Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey. By season’s end, San Francisco had three players on its payroll with nine-figure contracts.

Adames slashed .225/.318/.421 with 30 home runs and 87 RBI. He became the first Giants player since Barry Bonds to hit 30 home runs in a season. Bonds last hit 30 or more home runs in a season in 2004.

Rafael Devers hit 35 home runs for the season but didn’t join the team until a trade in June. So, with Adames and Devers, the Giants believe they have a powerful due to build their team around for the next several years.

Year 2 is about adjustment for Adames. He’s getting used to a new manager in Tony Vitello, who replaced Bob Melvin in the offseason. Vitello has never been a part of pro baseball but was a successful coach in college. Adames seems to have bought into what the new manager is selling in spring training.

Willy Adames on Tony Vitello

Willy Adames hopped on @knbrmurph & @MarkusBoucher down in Scottsdale and spoke highly of Tony Vitello's motivating presence as well as their trip out to S. Korea to visit Jung Hoo Lee.

"We had a fun time in Korea. That was one of the best experiences I've had in my life." pic.twitter.com/4XMvH507qT

— KNBR (@KNBR) February 19, 2026

During a radio interview with “Murph and Markus” on KNBR, the flagship station for Giants baseball, Adames revealed how he heard about the Vitello news and how they immediately connected.

“Buster [Posey] texted me when everything was done and then I texted Tony right and we talked,” he said.

Since then, the relationship has grown quickly. Vitello embarked on a tour to see many of his players in the offseason, which included visiting Adames in his native Dominican Republic. The effort he made to do that trip was something he appreciated. Vitello also convinced Adames to accompany him to South Korea to visit outfielder Jung Hoo Lee in the offseason, a trip he called “one of the best in my life.”

“To get to see [Lee], to get to hang out with him and get to know him better I think it was really good,” Adames said. “That’s why I wanted to go. Just to make him feel like, ‘Hey, this is how we really feel about you, we care about you and we want him to be who he is, a superstar.’”

So, what has Vitello brought to the team in his first year? In a word, energy.

“He’s got a great personality,” Adames said. “He likes to see the group together. He loves to work and he brings that energy every day. I think he’s going to be really good for us. So far, what I’ve seen, he’s always pushing us, pushing the guys to be better. That’s something that I think we were missing.”