3 SF Giants players who deserve to sign a one-day contract and end their career where it began

In the 2010s, there was no more successful team in Major League Baseball than the SF Giants. After all, they won three World Series titles in five years. There were a lot of key players during that run, so we highlighted three who deserve to finish their careers where it began.

3 SF Giants players who deserve to sign a one-day contract and end their career where it began

It would be nice if these players went out the right way by signing a one-day contract to go off into the sunset with the Giants as their final team. Some players mean so much to an organization that it is tough to envision them in a different uniform. That was the case for several players from the championship run.

The Giants have brought back players to finish their careers on ceremonial contracts. Sergio Romo is a recent example, doing so in a spring training game in 2023. J.T. Snow was another who came back and got to be embraced by the fanbase one more time as a player.

1. Madison Bumgarner

This one is self-explanatory, right? Not only was he one of the core players that won a title in all 3 of those seasons, but he also single-handedly led the Giants past the Royals in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series where he earned a 5-inning save. 

On top of that, Bumgarner’s fame and the best part of his career all came in San Francisco. He had a 119-92 record in his time with the Giants to go along with a solid 3.13 ERA. He was also a four-time National League All-Star selection.

His time with the Arizona Diamondbacks will always be foreign to most fans for multiple reasons. He was never the same pitcher there, and he was released before the contract even ended. Plus, it’s hard to see someone of his caliber as a shell of their former selves. All of this was what happened in Arizona. 

If he were to sign a one-day contract to end his career where he started it, this would bring a lot of joy to the fanbase. Bumgarner was warmly received by the fans when he visited for the 10-year reunion of the 2014 team last summer. A player of his caliber deserves to have a day all to himself.

2. Tim Lincecum

We were so spoiled in the 2010s. Looking back, this pitching staff was incredible. Tim Lincecum was amazing in his time with the Giants. 

Before any of the title runs began, he had won a pair of National League Cy Young Awards. He was also the first ace of that staff. In his time with the Giants, he pitched to a career 3.61 ERA and a 108-83 record. Similar to Bumgarner, The Freak was also a 4-time National League All-Star selection. 

One thing that may get overlooked is the fact that Lincecum always did what was best for the team. He moved to the bullpen in the 2012 and 2014 playoffs to help the Giants get those titles. It also shouldn’t be forgotten that he was the starting pitcher in games 1 and 5 of the 2010 World Series. 

But when his time in San Francisco ended, he signed with the Angels and things didn’t go well. He went 2-6 with a 9.16 ERA in nine outings with Los Angeles. He caught on with Texas Rangers' Triple-A club in 2018, but his struggles continued. That proved to be his final stint as a pro. 

Lincecum would be another perfect candidate to sign a one-day deal and retire as a Giant. The only problem with this is that he’s been hard to find. Ever since he stopped playing, he’s been seen at only a few Giants events. 

3. Brandon Belt

During those years, it was always nice to have first base locked down. This is something that gets overlooked especially with how first base has been a revolving door since. 

Belt is worthy of being honored one more time. After all, he was a part of two of the three titles. But in 2014, Belt had one of the most iconic moments of that postseason run when he hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of 18th to help secure a 2-1 win over the Washington Nationals in game 2 of the National League Division Series. 

The first baseman also had a career season in 2021 where he hit 29 home runs, which was his career high for a season. Belt also was a National League All-Star one time in his career. In his 12-year tenure with the Giants, Belt hit .261/.356/.458 hit 175 home runs and had 584 RBIs. 

In 2023, he signed with the Blue Jays and had a good year. But after that season, he wasn’t signed by anyone. This came as a shock at the time but he still has yet to have any interest in free agency. 

It would be fitting for Belt to end his playing career as a Giant. He was always a team-first guy as well, playing left field when the team needed to put one of their catchers at first base for a rest day.