© Ron Chenoy | 2021 Sep 8
He threw up the “Wakanda X” after drilling a go-ahead 2-run homer against the Athletics on Aug. 21. He capped a four-run ninth inning on Aug. 5 in Arizona with a two-run single to stun the Diamondbacks. Brandon Belt called him “Late Night LaMonte” after he tagged a go-ahead single in the top of the 11th inning in Milwaukee.
The legend of LaMonte Wade Jr. grew another chapter Wednesday when he poked a two-run single into right field to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead for the Giants (90-50) in Coors Field. His 2-RBI slash put San Francisco ahead for its MLB-best 90th win of the season. It came on the last day of a 16 consecutive game stretch. But Wade Jr. has proven that outside factors don’t matter; if it’s the ninth inning of a close ballgame, he’s the guy who the Giants want in the batter’s box.
“He’s had so many big hits for us this year,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said of Wade Jr.. “Down to our last strike a couple times I think. And then just so many tie-breaking or go-ahead base hits for us with guys in scoring position. He’s been a huge piece for us.”
The individual clutch plays don’t fully capture how sensational Wade Jr. has been under pressure in 2021. In ninth innings, he’s hitting 9-for-15 (.600) with the home run in the Coliseum, a triple, a double, and nine RBI. His 17 go-ahead RBI are the second-most on the team.
Wade Jr.’s clutch numbers don’t stop there. With two outs and runners in scoring position, he’s now 10-for-23 with 18 RBI. His on-base percentage in those situations approaches .500 and his OPS hovers over 1.000. His OPS is above .900 in games within one run and tie games regardless of inning.
“I wish I could get some better at-bats earlier in the game, but I guess it’s good they’re coming late,” Wade Jr. joked when asked about his elevated performance in clutch moments.
This team is ridiculous pic.twitter.com/mmXLSrXjHD
— KNBR (@KNBR) September 8, 2021
Against Rockies closer Carlos Estévez Wednesday, Wade Jr. choked up his bat. He said he’s been doing that much more recently to put more balls in play and avoid having “too big” of a swing. Especially against Estévez, whose fastball touches 99 mph, having a quicker swing path through the zone can make a difference.
With Wade Jr. behind in a 1-2 count, the Giants were, as Crawford said, down to their last strike. Then Wade barreled Estévez’ 99 mph four-seamer into right field.
It’s difficult to quantify the “clutch factor” in any sport. But with seemingly every act that occurs on a baseball diamond, people have tried to number-fy it. Fangraphs has a stat — “Clutch” — that measures how much better or worse a player performs in high-leverage situations. And in 2021, Wade Jr. is among the most clutch players in baseball, ranking eighth in the category among those with at least 10 “high leverage” plate appearances.
Preparation is one of the drivers behind Wade Jr.’s late-game success. Before both Wednesday’s clutch hit and the homer against Oakland, Wade Jr. consulted with hitting coaches Justin Viele and Donnie Ecker right before stepping into the box.
“I try to go up there to the best of my best ability and runoff that plan that they give to me,” Wade Jr. said.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler said he’s most impressed with how disciplined Wade Jr. is in big spots. He doesn’t swing at pitches he doesn’t think he can do damage on, even strikes. He trusts his bat speed and power to punish mistake pitches whenever they come.
“I think he has a very calm presence at the plate,” Kapler said of Wade Jr. “(He) puts a lot of pressure on himself, but it’s the kind of pressure that he can channel. It’s the kind of adrenaline he can channel into focus and he just looks like a guy who always has his peak level of concentration in the biggest moments. And I think it comes from desire. It really does.”