SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants traded longtime first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. to the Angels in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations on Sunday.
San Francisco also sent over some cash in the deal to help cover the remainder of Wade’s $5 million salary for 2025.
The trade -- the first notable move between brothers Zack and Perry Minasian, the general managers of the Giants and Angels, respectively -- came five days after Wade was designated for assignment after batting only .167 with a .546 OPS and one home run over 50 games this year.
Wade, 31, emerged as a fan favorite after being acquired from the Twins in exchange for right-hander Shaun Anderson four years ago, earning the nickname “Late Night LaMonte” due to his knack for late-game heroics during the Giants’ franchise-record 107-win season in 2021.
Known for his elite eye at the plate, Wade logged a .345 on-base percentage over his five seasons in San Francisco, but that figure dipped to a career-low .275 as he struggled mightily to get going this year. With the Giants starved for offense, they decided to cut ties with Wade as part of a major roster shakeup last week.
“It was tough,” manager Bob Melvin said on Wednesday. “LaMonte’s pretty realistic, too. He said, ‘I get it. I haven’t performed very well.’ I don’t know that at this point in time a little bit of a break and a change of scenery won’t be good for him.
“We wish him the best going forward. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t given another opportunity. But based on what has been going on here recently, we felt like we needed to make some moves, and we did.”
The Giants replaced Wade by signing veteran Dominic Smith to a one-year Major League contract last week. Smith, 29, has gone 4-for-14 with four RBIs over his first five games with his new club, helping San Francisco win five in a row, including a three-game sweep of the Braves over the weekend.