The San Francisco Giants are shaking up their lineup, hoping to revive a stagnant offense. They just designated first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. and backup catcher Sam Huff for assignment.
In response, the Giants signed veteran first baseman Dominic Smith to a one-year, major league contract. They also promoted outfielder Daniel Johnson and catcher Andrew Knizner from Triple-A, while sending infielder Christian Koss back down.
All this comes after a rough stretch—San Francisco has dropped 14 of their last 23 games. The offense has looked flat, to put it mildly.
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Giants’ Offensive Woes
The Giants’ bats have gone cold lately. Over the past two weeks, they’ve hit just .209/.297/.306 as a team.
They haven’t scored more than four runs in a game since May 16. Seven times in that span, they were either shut out or managed only one run. No wonder the front office decided to make some changes, starting with LaMonte Wade Jr.
LaMonte Wade Jr.’s Decline
Wade has looked lost at the plate in 2025, batting .167/.275/.271. He was a solid hitter for the Giants from 2021 through 2024, but this year’s been a different story.
He’s lost bat speed and seems to have trouble catching up to fastballs. Statcast clocks his average bat speed at 69.7 mph this year, down from 73.8 mph in 2023. That puts him near the bottom of the league.
Dominic Smith Joins the Giants
The Giants brought in Dominic Smith on a one-year deal, hoping he can spark something at first base. Smith just opted out of a minor league contract with the Yankees.
He hasn’t matched his breakout 2019-20 seasons with the Mets, but he’s still managed a .247/.321/.370 line over the last two years. That’s a clear upgrade over what Wade’s been doing.
Smith’s Role and Potential Impact
Smith probably holds first base until top prospect Bryce Eldridge gets the call. Eldridge just moved up to Triple-A and is ranked among baseball’s top 25 prospects.
If Smith hits, he might stick around as a bench bat once Eldridge arrives. That’s not a bad fallback plan.
Catcher Changes: Sam Huff Out, Andrew Knizner In
The Giants also cut ties with Sam Huff, who struggled at the plate all season. Huff batted .208/.259/.340 and struck out in over 43% of his trips to the plate.
Andrew Knizner now gets the call from Triple-A. Knizner, 30, has been raking there—he’s hit .378/.512/.520, with more walks than strikeouts in 129 plate appearances.
Knizner’s Potential Contributions
Knizner hasn’t been much of an offensive threat in the majors, but maybe this hot streak carries over. He strikes out a lot less than Huff and is known for blocking balls in the dirt—a nice bonus.
Outfielder Daniel Johnson’s Promotion
Daniel Johnson earned a promotion after joining the Giants from the Mexican League earlier this season. Since arriving at Triple-A, he’s hit .272/.312/.534 with six homers and five steals in 109 plate appearances.
He tore it up in Mexico, too, posting a .429/.512/.943 line. Giants scouts clearly liked what they saw.
Johnson’s Track Record
Johnson has had brief stints in the majors with the Guardians and Orioles, totaling just 95 plate appearances. In Triple-A, he’s put together a .257/.323/.452 line across six seasons.
With his promotion, the Giants’ outfield gets a bit deeper. Maybe he gives the lineup a spark—it’s worth a shot.
Future Outlook
The Giants want to shake things up and bring some energy back into their lineup. They’ve added Dominic Smith and promoted both Andrew Knizner and Daniel Johnson.
There’s also a lot of buzz around top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who’s expected to arrive soon. All of this points to a real effort to boost the team’s offense.
It might not change everything overnight, but honestly, it feels like there’s finally some hope for a stronger second half.
For more details on the Giants’ recent roster moves, visit MLB Trade Rumors.
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