"Late Night" LaMonte Wade Jr. burst onto the scene as the San Francisco Giants won 107 games in 2021. But as great as his '21 season was, Wade's 2022 was almost as bad. A knee injury in Spring Training lingered throughout the 2022 season, and Wade was essentially a non-factor for the Giants as they sputtered their way to a disappointing 81-81 season last year.
Looking ahead to 2023, however, there is reason for optimism. Wade's knee is supposedly doing much better, and he and the SF Giants believe he can get back to being more of the hitter he was in 2021 as opposed to 2022. With Brandon Belt now on the Blue Jays, Wade figures to the be the Giants' primary first baseman against right-handed pitching. He's been solid there defensively in his career.
But Wade will need a platoon partner. That's where Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis come in. Some have said that David Villar, Davis, and Flores are redundant on the roster, but each has a clear and defined role. Villar projects as the starter at third base, and Wade and Joc Pederson need platoon partners. Flores has been an above-average defender at first base in his career, so he figures to pair with Wade. Davis is good offensively against righties and lefties, and he figures to pair with Pederson at DH.
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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.
Follow Ben Kaspick on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.
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