Willy Adames Says no to contract extension With Milwaukee Brewers next season

How Willy Adames went from struggling Rays shortstop to MVP candidate with Brewers

Willy Adames spent the first six weeks of the 2021 season playing for the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League. He hit just .197 in those 41 games, including a .156 average with a .557 OPS in his home ballpark, Tropicana Field.

It was not pretty.

If you wanted to build the profile for a player who deserves mention on all 30 National League MVP ballots that will be submitted by BBWAA members at the end of the season, the profile of a player who has been the single most important trade acquisition of the season and the catalyst for a franchise that went from middling to mesmerizing almost overnight, you probably wouldn’t start with a sub-Mendoza line hitter who had fans clamoring for a potential replacement starring at Triple-A.

And maybe that’s why the 28 other teams didn’t trade for Willy Adames.