SF Giants to honor two-time World Series champion in 2026

Last week, the SF Giants published some of their giveaways and special events for first half of the 2026 season. One of those special events is a Brandon Belt Celebration Day against the Miami Marlins on April 25, 2026.

SF Giants to honor two-time World Series champion in 2026

Fans in attendance will also receive a Brandon Belt Aloha Shirt. I suppose the hidden meaning behind that is to recognize or say goodbye to a very good career. That said, I always thought bottomless breadsticks from Olive Garden would be an appropriate giveaway for any type of Belt celebration.

The left-handed bat has not appeared in a game since his lone season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023. It was a bit of a surprise that he did not find a home for 2024. Belt was coming off a strong year with Toronto, posting an .858 OPS with 19 home runs and 43 RBI in 404 plate appearances. This included an excellent 15.1 percent walk rate as well.

Belt was baffled by the lack of interest after that season. He was viewed as a backup option for several teams, but contract talks never progressed beyond primarily stages.

The 13-year veteran will be celebrating his 38th birthday in 2026, so it is fair to say that a comeback at this stage is likely out of the cards.

If this is it, the next step is to recognize Belt for his career. The Giants have been so good at recognizing players from the championship teams, and Belt is one of the few players who have not yet had that type of celebration. No other details have been revealed about this event yet.

Belt was originally a fifth-round pick by the Giants in 2009 out of the University of Texas at Austin. He catapulted up the prospect rankings with a memorable stint in San Jose in 2010. Belt debuted with the club in 2011.

Ironically, the left-handed bat's first hit in the majors came against Clayton Kershaw. He would struggle against the future Hall of Famer for the remainder of his career.

In 13 seasons, Belt slashed .261/.357/.460 (125 wRC+) with a 12.4 percent walk rate, 24.5 percent strikeout rate, and .200 ISO. His best season came in 2021, where he registered a .975 OPS with 29 home runs and 59 RBI in 381 plate appearances.

Belt was a popular player among Giants fans. He helped the club win two World Series rings while earning an NL All-Star nod in 2016. Few players have experienced the type of success he had on a baseball field.