The San Francisco Giants fans probably thought they had seen the last of their free agent misfires when the team moved on from Blake Snell, Michael Conforto, and Joc Pederson these past offseasons.
They were wrong.
Bleacher Report just dropped its list of the biggest contract busts from the 2025 offseason—and San Francisco’s fingerprints are all over it. Three former Giants (Snell, Conforto, and Pederson) cracked the top 10, with a new face now holding the unfortunate top spot: current Giants shortstop Willy Adames.
Call it a cursed reunion—or bad decision-making in every zip code.
From “All In” on Adames to All Regret
The Giants took a swing in the offseason by signing Adames to a massive 7-year, $182 million contract, believing he could anchor their infield and bring leadership to a shaky offense. Instead, they’ve gotten .208/.293/.327 with five home runs and –0.2 WAR through the first two months of the season.
The deal has quickly soured, not just because of the bat but because Adames, once a defensive asset, has cratered in the field. His outs above average is sitting at -3, and he’s near the bottom of the league in fielding run value.
This isn’t just a slump. It’s a nightmare start to the third-longest free-agent contract handed out last winter.
Blake Snell: A Familiar Second-Half Mirage?
Also making the list is Blake Snell, who parlayed a Cy Young-winning second half in San Francisco into a 5-year, $182 million deal with the Dodgers. So far, that’s bought them… 9 innings.
Snell’s early Dodgers tenure has been defined by injury (currently on the 60-day IL), inconsistency (2.00 ERA but 2.00 WHIP), and, as Bleacher Report points out, a -0.2 WAR through two starts. For a pitcher making over $35 million per year, that’s a rugged look—even if he usually heats up post-July.
Giants fans will remember the Snell cycle well: slow start, midseason dominance, offseason walk-away. Now, it’s L.A.’s problem.
Conforto and Pederson Flailing Elsewhere
San Francisco cut ties with both Michael Conforto and Joc Pederson, and based on their 2025 production, that was the right call.
Conforto has flopped in Los Angeles, slashing .173/.318/.284 with two home runs and a stunning -0.6 WAR on a one-year, $17 million deal. According to Bleacher Report, he’s essentially become an offensive void in one of MLB’s best lineups, so bad that even the Dodgers might eat the salary and move on.
Pederson, meanwhile, is hitting an unsightly .131 with a .507 OPS for the Rangers. Once an elite bat against righties, he now ranks near dead last in MLB in OPS vs. right-handed pitching. That $37 million deal over two years already looks like a sunk cost.
And yes, both of these guys wore Giants uniforms recently.
San Francisco’s Spending Spree Looks Worse by the Day
In hindsight, the Giants didn’t just misfire with their old core—they doubled down with a risky new one. Adames is supposed to be the franchise centerpiece. Instead, he’s been one of the least valuable everyday shortstops in baseball.
The only silver lining? His salary doesn’t spike until 2027. Of course, that’s also the terrifying part: $31.1 million per year for five seasons starting in 2027, for a player trending down both offensively and defensively.
The Giants currently hold a playoff position, which helps mitigate the blow. But if Adames doesn’t rebound soon, this contract could age even worse than the Kris Bryant disaster.
For now, Bleacher Report didn’t just rank Adames as a bust. They gave him the No. 1 spot.
Giants fans were hoping to turn the page this season. Instead, it looks like they’re reliving the same expensive mistakes in a brand-new jersey.
Giants’ $182 Million Shortstop Is MLB’s Biggest Contract Bust