Willy Adames opens up about facing Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks in stacked NL West

The San Francisco Giants made several notable signings during the offseason, including shortstop Willy Adames' seven-year, $182 million deal. The NL West now has one more team serious about the postseason. The Giants, who haven't made the postseason since 2021, are back in contention in 2025, with a 19-10 division-leading start.

The LA Dodgers and the San Diego Padres continue to make the postseason, while the Arizona Diamondbacks are coming off a World Series appearance in 2023. The Colorado Rockies are the only team in this stacked division not expected to have a strong season.

Talking with Chris Rose, Willy Adames embraced the underdog mentality that comes with playing in a stacked NL West, home to heavyweights like the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks.

"I love being the underdog," Willy Adames said (20:45 onwards). "I love being on a team that nobody's expecting to be there. But at the end of the day, we're going to be there. We're going to show you that we're better than what you think we are."

"And I think that's what we're building right now — just building that energy, you know, in the clubhouse, of like, we're going to win. We're going to punch people in the face and be like, 'Hey, we're better than what you think we are.'"

Willy Adames also recounted their latest four-game series split against the Philadelphia Phillies, which was another example of the Giants' grittiness to win games against top teams.

"I mean, we had a tough series in Philly right now, we were two and two — like, you know, that was a pretty good challenging series 'cause it's a winning team too," Willy Adames added. "So it's like, okay, let's see where we're at. But we're not far, you know? We were there, we fought against them, and, you know, we didn't give up. And I feel like that's the mentality that we're creating here."

What are Willy Adames and the Giants' odds to win the NL West in 2025?

AL East and the NL West are currently the most competitive divisions in all of baseball. The NL West comprises four teams playing at a .600 clip.

As of Sunday night, the Giants are leading the table with a 19-10 record, followed by the Dodgers (18-10), the Padres (17-11) and the Diamondbacks (15-13).

When it comes to winning the division, despite the hot start, DraftKings has given them the least chance to emerge winner out of the division at +1000, tied with the Diamondbacks. The Padres come second at +700, while the Dodgers are favored to repeat as winners with -360 odds.

The Giants may not be able to match up in terms of names against the other teams, but they seem to be defying odds currently and could jinx them by the All-Star break.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

Know More

Edited by Dipayan Moitra