Display at Oracle Park pressbox paying tribute to the life of Michael Wags Wagaman Asscoiated Press reporter (photo from Sean Cunningham KCRA TV 3 Sacramento)

In Loving Memory of Michael Wagaman

By Sports Radio Service staff

On Friday, August 7th, the Bay Area sports world lost a beloved sports reporter in Michael Wagaman. Also known as Wags, Wagaman had been a reporter for Associated Press since 1996, he also worked for NBC Sports Bay Area since 2023. Wags was found unconscious by his son on Friday night at his Vallejo home. Wags was pronounced deceased at age 59.

Wags had brain surgery four years ago in 2022 and rehabbed at home. It wasn’t very long after that Wags made a remarkable recovery and returned back to work as an AP reporter. Upon discovery of his death, the San Francisco Giants who were scheduled to play against the Detroit Tigers on Sat Aug 8, 2026 paid tribute to Wags with a beautiful photo display and loving memory card.

Wags once he returned from brain surgery he went through rehab and in typical Wags style didn’t waste anytime getting back to work and he jumped back in without hesitation he was his old outspoken self at his work assignments.

When it came to his work whether in print or podcasting he was all in and his energy and enthusiasm level was off the chain. No one could have seen something like this coming and his passing hit the journalism community like a shock wave. Anyone and everyone who knew Wags will miss him deeply.

During his career, Wags covered the Golden State Warriors, Oakland/Sacramento Athletics, Sacramento Kings, San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, San Jose Sharks, Cal Bears and Stanford Cardinal. He appeared on this site as a guest and again was always giving no holds bar interviews. Wags who made his home in Vallejo which was conveniently centralized to San Jose, San Francisco and Sacramento to get to the ball park or arenas.

We tip our hats to a well respected, very out spoken, high energy, lived life to the fullest journalist and friend Michael Wagaman.

Here is a sample of Wags’ podcast work from a Jul 2025 show he did on the Giants and A’s:

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