Brewers claim Ehire Adrianza off waivers

The Milwaukee Brewers claimed Ehire Adrianza off waivers on Tuesday, ending the utility infielder’s long Giants career. While there was a chance for Adrianza to pass through waivers and re-sign with the Giants as a free agent, that dream is officially dead. Also, no one really had that dream, including Adrianza, who is probably happy to have a different opportunity.

For four straight seasons, Adrianza was one of the Giants’ 10-best prospects according to Baseball America. Before you make fun of the Giants’ farm system, note that this streak started when the Giants had what was widely considered to be one of the very best farm systems, back in 2008. There was Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Angel Villalona, and Tim Alderson at the top, and a couple slots down on just about every list was Adrianza.

In that first top-10 appearance, where’s what Baseball America wrote about him:

Even Omar Vizquel, who was in Arizona while rehabbing his knee, commented on Adrianza's soft hands and accurate arm. A natural righthanded hitter, he has a level swing and balanced approach from either side. He has gap power and doesn't try to just slap and dash his way on base. Something of a late bloomer, Adrianza only recently began adding strength to his lanky frame. He's not as fast as most shortstops, though his excellent instincts and first-step quickness make up for that shortcoming in the field.

A few years later, Adrianza really did start to add some bulk, and he showed faint glimmers of being a shortstop who could hit just enough to make his glove valuable. For this reason, I was expect-dreading the Padres to claim him and embarrass the Giants with at least one Ehire-fueled walk-off win. Instead, he’ll go to the Brewers and haunt the Giants in the 2021 NLCS if I’m reading these chicken bones correctly.

Your life will not be affected by this news. But Ehire Adrianza is on the Brewers now. React accordingly.