LOS ANGELES — Emily and LaMonte Wade Sr. have been something of a good luck charm for the San Francisco Giants and their son, outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr.
But the pair aren’t expected to be in attendance at Dodger Stadium to watch their son take on Max Scherzer and the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 3 of the National League Division series on Monday night. They have a more pressing matter to attend to.
Emily Wade’s ping pong tournament.
“Shows where her priorities are,” Wade Jr. joked a few hours before his game. “But, no, she’s having fun with it. They will definitely be watching.”
Wade Jr.’s mom wasn’t in attendance for the NLDS’s first two games in San Francisco, either, but watched on TV as the Giants and Dodgers drew a 1-1 series tie with the rivalry heading to Los Angeles for the next two games. Wade Jr.’s parents will watch Game 3 and 4 on TV, too.
Wade Sr. has been sending highlight videos from Emily’s tournament to their son. Starting in left field for Monday’s game, Wade Jr. hopes to send a few highlight videos of his own.
Wade Jr.’s parents became ballpark fixtures this season. Wade Jr. hit a walk-off home run in a July win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that sailed over his mom’s head in the bleachers. The 27-year-old has earned the nickname “Late-night LaMonte” for hitting six game-tying or go-ahead hits in the ninth inning this season, which is the most by any MLB player in a season over the last 40 years.
In his first season with the Giants, Wade Jr. is primarily used against right-handed pitchers, batting .268 against righties with an .860 OPS and 18 home runs in 299 at-bats.
