SF Giants Player Review 2026: Grant McCray struggled at the plate yet again (which is why he's gone)

Each of the last few seasons, the SF Giants called up outfielder Grant McCray either because they were out of it and wanted to give him a look or needed help in the outfield due to injuries, and while he showed impressive signs each time he was called up he was never able to do enough at the plate to stick. That trend continued in 2026.

McCray played in 43 games for the Giants this past season and hit .143/.250/.273 with two home runs and four runs batted in. He also stole eight bases. It was an improvement over what he did in 2025 but still not quite what he did in 2024 which was not incredibly impressive as he hit .202/.238/.379 with five homers and 10 runs driven in.

His speed and defense have always made him a really interesting player because on paper he profiles as a guy the Giants really need. They’ve been looking for that homegrown outfielder with wheels and Gold Glove caliber defense for years but McCray could just never hit well enough to justify a regular roster spot.

2026 saw Jonah Cox do the things that he wished McCray could do for years as he looked great in center field, was surprisingly solid at second base, and hit fairly well even if he did look a little overmatched at times.

That’s why it didn’t come as a big shock that McCray ended up being one of the team’s 40-man roster cuts after the season. The Seattle Mariners came in and claimed him off waivers which wasn’t all that surprising either.

Grant McCray should get more opportunities given his skillset

McCray is the kind of guy who has enough talent and skills that teams will take a chance on him to see if a tweak or two at the plate can turn him into a legitimate big league player. Even if he never hits well enough to be a regular fixture in the lineup, he is still valuable as a fourth or fifth outfielder since he can come into games late as a defensive replacement or as a pinch runner.

The Giants just have so many young outfielders right now that McCray ended up being the odd man out the same way Luis Matos was after spring training in 2026. San Francisco will likely give other guys like Turner Hill and Scott Bandura a chance going forward.

McCray did some cool things with the Giants like when he gunned down a runner on the bases in the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 when Patrick Bailey hit his walk-off grand slam, but now it will be interesting to see if he is able to put all the pieces together with another team.

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