“Report: Giants’ lone Wade”. Rickwood’s Jr. request denied by MLB originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
First baseman injured La Monte Wade Jr. He really wanted to play Thursday at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Giants tried to make it happen with an unconventional request.
the athletic one Andrew Baggarly reported Tuesday and the San Francisco Chronicle John Shea confirmed Wednesday that the Giants asked MLB if they could activate Wade off the injured list just for Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
According to Baggarly and Shea, MLB denied the Giants’ appeal.
The Giants and Cardinals will be given a 27th roster spot for the game in Rickwood, and San Francisco was trying to use that spot for Wade, who has been out since suffer a hamstring injury on May 27.
An MLB official told Shea that while they understood why the Giants made the special request, “rules are rules.”
The game at Rickwood Field was established to honor the Negro Leagues and the Birmingham Black Barons, the Hall of Fame’s first professional team. Willie Mays, who died Tuesday at the age of 93 years.
Wade, who clearly isn’t ready to come off the disabled list and play every day, understands the importance of the game at Rickwood Field. Baggarly reported on June 12 that the 30-year-old was “trying really hard to play” on Thursday.
LaMonte Wade Jr. is taking ground balls and has started to run lightly. He was supposed to be out until the end of June due to a hamstring strain, but he is working hard to play in the Rickwood game, including as a designated hitter, in a week.
—Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) June 12, 2024
Unfortunately for Wade, who was among the MLB leaders in on-base percentage when he went on the disabled list, it appears he won’t have a chance to play on Thursday.