Giants DFA LaMonte Wade Jr. in Bold Offensive Shake-Up
So, big news out of San Francisco—LaMonte Wade Jr. has officially been designated for assignment. Yeah, it’s a move that definitely caught the attention of Giants fans everywhere. Just a few years ago, Wade was one of the biggest under-the-radar pickups for the team, delivering consistent on-base performance and clutch hits. Fast forward to now, and we’re watching a complete unraveling of what used to be a key piece of the lineup.
Let’s break it down. Wade started the 2025 season cold and, unfortunately, never warmed up. He’s batting just .167 with one home run and has been completely overmatched by velocity. In fact, his bat speed has dropped significantly—Statcast shows it’s down to 69.7 mph this season, well below average. And while his eye at the plate remains sharp, with an elite 12.4% walk rate and one of the lowest chase rates in the league, it’s not translating into hits. That’s the brutal reality. He's just not doing damage when he connects.
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So, what now? Enter Dominic Smith. The Giants signed him after he opted out of his deal with the Yankees. Now, let’s not pretend Smith is some kind of savior, but with Wade struggling this badly, even league-average offense feels like a step up. Smith has a decent track record and had been holding his own at Triple-A with a .782 OPS. Plus, there’s the added bonus of leadership and veteran presence.
Beyond Wade, the Giants also DFA’d Sam Huff and optioned Christian Koss. In came Andrew Knizner and Daniel Johnson, both brought up from Triple-A. Knizner’s no star, but he’s been on fire in the minors and provides better contact and consistency than Huff. Johnson? Well, he was raking in the Mexican League and has held his own in Triple-A—definitely an intriguing bat to keep an eye on.
This move says a lot about where the Giants are right now. Their pitching is top-tier, but the offense? It’s been ice cold. They’ve gone 16 games without scoring more than four runs—something that hasn’t happened since 1965. Something had to give. Buster Posey hinted at changes earlier this week, and now we’re seeing the start of that transition.
LaMonte Wade Jr. might still catch on somewhere else—he has the eye, the plate discipline, and the experience. But unless he regains that lost bat speed, it’s going to be a tough road back to relevance. For now, this is Dom Smith’s job, but make no mistake—the Giants are keeping one eye on top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who just got bumped to Triple-A. If he keeps mashing, he could be up in the bigs before summer ends.
So yeah, big changes are here. And whether this shake-up turns things around or just starts a longer rebuild, one thing’s clear: the Giants are no longer standing still.
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