**Giants Revamp Lineup Amid Struggles, Wade and Huff Designated for Assignment**

The San Francisco Giants are making significant changes to their faltering offense. On Wednesday, the team announced that first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. and backup catcher Sam Huff have been designated for assignment. To fill the void, the Giants signed veteran first baseman Dominic Smith to a one-year, major league contract after he recently opted out of a minor league deal with the Yankees. Additionally, the team promoted outfielder Daniel Johnson and catcher Andrew Knizner from Triple-A and optioned infielder Christian Koss.

After a promising start, the Giants have seen their performance plummet, losing 14 of their last 23 games. The primary issue has been the struggling offense, especially in the past two weeks. Giants hitters have combined for a disappointing .209/.297/.306 batting line, and the team hasn't scored more than four runs in a game since May 16.

LaMonte Wade Jr. has been particularly underwhelming this season, failing to find any kind of consistent form. The 31-year-old was hitless in his first 18 at-bats of the season and is currently in a 3-for-22 slump. Wade, who had been a reliable on-base machine for the Giants from 2021-2024, is batting just .167/.275/.271 this year. His decline is largely attributed to a loss of bat speed, which has significantly weakened his ability to handle velocity.

Wade’s struggles can also partially be traced to bad luck, as seen by his .211 average on balls in play, but his high fly-ball rate suggests a deeper issue. Even though he is still drawing walks at an impressive 12.4% rate, his inability to convert those opportunities into hits has made his on-base skills less impactful. With roughly $3.12 million remaining on his $5 million contract for the season, moving Wade could be complicated for the Giants.

Stepping in for Wade, Dominic Smith will attempt to revitalize first base. Although Smith has not replicated his outstanding 2019-2020 numbers, where he batted .299/.366/.571 with the Mets, he has maintained a respectable level of play. Between the Nationals, Red Sox, and Reds over the past two seasons, he has slashed .247/.321/.370 across 893 plate appearances. That’s significantly better than what Wade has offered this year.

Meanwhile, the Giants have also shifted their catching personnel. Sam Huff, who struggled mightily with a .208/.259/.340 line and a 43.1% strikeout rate, has been designated for assignment. In his place, the Giants have called up Andrew Knizner. Although Knizner is not an offensive powerhouse with a career .210/.279/.317 line, his ability to make more consistent contact and better defensive skills in blocking could provide a marginal improvement.

In addition to these moves, the Giants promoted Daniel Johnson, who had been dazzling in the Mexican League and continued his form in Triple-A. Johnson provides another potential boost as the Giants look for a spark to jumpstart their stalled offense.

These changes reflect an aggressive approach by the Giants' front office as they look to arrest their slide and revive their early-season form. Whether these moves will pay the desired dividends remains to be seen, but it’s clear the team is not standing pat in the face of adversity.