SF Giants release fan-favorite first baseman after dismal start

After a very rough two months for veteran first baseman and outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., the SF Giants have finally made a tough choice to move on from the fan favorite. Wade was once known as an on-base machine with decent pop and defensive versatility, but in 2025, he became a liability and had to go.

SF Giants release fan-favorite first baseman after dismal start

It's a sad ending for the fan-favorite. Wade came to the Giants in 2021 in a trade with the Minnesota Twins and quickly became one of the major contributors for the Giants' magical 107-win season in 2021.

Wade contributed 1.4 bWAR in 2021, hitting 18 home runs, 17 doubles and 56 RBI. He finished the year with a career high .808 OPS, and at 27 years old, it looked like the Giants had found a new utility outfielder and first baseman. Wade even received MVP votes, finishing 21st in NL-MVP voting in 2021.

After struggling with injuries in 2022, a year in which Wade hit .207 in 77 games, he bounced back in 2023 and was once again an important piece of the team. He put together a career-high 2.8 bWAR and became an on-base machine. He drew 76 walks, helping him finish with a .373 OBP and a .790 OPS. He finished with a career-high 120 OPS+.

In 2024, Wade continued to reach base at a high rate. He set a new career-high mark with a .380 OBP and matched his 120 OPS+ from the year prior. Still a solid contributor, racking up 2.1 bWAR, nobody would have predicted what would come next for the San Francisco star.

Wade began 2025 in a slump and was just unable to break out of it. So far, he's slashed .167/.275/.271. His power has been all but depleted, with just one home run and eight doubles on the season. Even with 21 walks keeping his OBP over 100 points higher than his AVG, Wade still is not reaching base enough, because he simply is not hitting.

With -1.1 bWAR in 50 games, Wade was running out of time to keep his spot on the roster, and it appears his time is out. The final nail in the coffin was his 0-4 performance against the Marlins on May 31st, when he struck out twice.

Now that he's been designated for assignment, teams will have an opportunity to claim the 31-year-old, but given that he's owed $5 million, it is likely he will pass through waivers. At that point, he could return to the Giants organization in Triple-A or look for a new contract as a free agent.

While it is sad to part ways with a fan favorite, the Giants needed to make the tough call in order to improve the team. Wade had a nice run with San Francisco, but it was time to move on.