SAN FRANCISCO -- One of the most entertaining subplots of this weekend¡¯s series between the Giants and Mariners? The back-and-forth friendly rivalry between San Francisco shortstop Willy Adames and Seattle center fielder Julio Rodríguez.
The good friends seemed to bring out the best in each other while facing off at Oracle Park, going head-to-head in their very own kind of sparring match.
Adames got the fun started on Friday, when he made a leaping grab to rob Rodr¨ªguez of a hit in the fifth inning of the Giants¡¯ 10-9 win in 11 innings. Rodr¨ªguez feigned throwing his helmet in mock annoyance at Adames, who later said the Mariners star told him he owed him lunch.
¡°It¡¯s a friendly competition,¡± Adames said after the Giants¡¯ series-opening win on Friday. ¡°We¡¯re friends off the field. When we¡¯re on the field, we¡¯re battling to try to beat each other in a friendly way.¡±
Rodr¨ªguez got his revenge the next day, throwing Adames out at second base after the Giants newcomer tried to stretch a single into a double.
But Adames managed to once again one-up his countryman in Sunday¡¯s series finale, ranging to his left to nab Rodr¨ªguez¡¯s grounder up the middle before spinning and firing to first base in time for the out.
¡°That was elite,¡± Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks said. ¡°That was the best play I¡¯ve seen Willy make. He did the Air Willy the other day, but that was my favorite, probably because I was out there.¡±
Rodr¨ªguez¡¯s parting words for Adames?
"I just said that we're cutting off the friendship," Rodr¨ªguez said tongue in cheek after the Giants swept the Mariners with a 5-4 walk-off win. "Nah, I'm just kidding. But he's a really good player. Obviously, I respect him a lot, respect what he does. We have a really good friendship, too. It's really fun to go out there and compete with somebody you know well. And, yeah, I'll be wishing [him] the best every time, and I¡¯m obviously not going to be happy if he makes a play, but I understand that he has to make it."