An MRI on LaMonte Wade Jr.’s left knee revealed inflammation and bone bruising, the Giants announced Tuesday.
The outfielder will rest for the next 10 days, ruling him out for April 8’s season opener against the Miami Marlins. The Giants will now be without their starting left fielder and their starting third baseman, Evan Longoria, to begin the season.
Wade Jr. exited San Francisco’s spring training game on Monday after leading off with a double and scoring in the first inning. He had started spring training hot from the plate, going 3-for-9 with a home run and two doubles.
Wade Jr. was one of the best stories in baseball last year; the Giants traded prospect Shaun Anderson for him in the offseason, and the unheralded outfielder went on to earn the “Late Night LaMonte” nickname by hitting .407 in high leverage situations. He had six go-ahead or game-tying hits in the last three months of the season.
On the year, Wade Jr. hit .253 mostly as a platoon option. He filled in at first base when Brandon Belt broke his thumb late in the season, too and was named the team’s 2021 Willie Mac Award winner.
Manager Gabe Kapler told reporters recently that Wade Jr. would start on Opening Day if Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara takes the mound. The 28-year-old outfielder hit .268 with an .860 OPS against righties in 2021; all of his 18 home runs came with a platoon advantage.
The Giants have more depth in the outfield to replace Wade Jr. than they do to fill in for Longoria. Steven Duggar, Mike Yastrzemski and Joc Pederson are also left-handed hitters, while Austin Slater and Darin Ruf can slide in easily.
If Wade Jr. starts the year on the injured list, the Giants could call up newly acquired utility player Luke Williams to the big league club. His absence could also make a roster spot more likely for Mauricio Dubón, a traditional middle infielder who is athletic enough to play in the outfield.
Starting the season without two regulars is suboptimal, but the Giants should have enough depth to absorb the blows if Longoria and Wade Jr. don’t miss significant time.
