Buddy Kennedy’s 2026 Giants run was one of the stranger little side stories in a season that already gave fans plenty to squint at.
The infielder kept showing up on the roster in a way that was hard to make sense of, especially when he was getting opportunities that seemed to leave people wondering what the plan actually was. For some Giants fans, the whole thing felt less like a baseball decision and more like a test.
Kennedy did plenty to earn another look in Sacramento. He was excellent in the minors in 2026, batting .321/.424/.543 with eight home runs and 33 runs batted in for the River Cats. That performance earned him a call-up on June 1, but the production never followed him to the majors.
Across 20 games with the Giants, Kennedy managed four hits in 38 plate appearances. Those appearances came in two separate stints, with a short stop in between with the Seattle Mariners, where he picked up one hit in 11 plate appearances.
The Giants’ roster churn helped explain why he kept resurfacing. Injuries were part of it, and so was the deadline trade of Luis Arraez. Even so, it was difficult to see why those at-bats didn’t go to some of the younger names in the minors.
Kennedy’s time in San Francisco ended in late August, when the Giants moved on and the Washington Nationals claimed him. So whatever that strange little experience was, it didn’t last the full season.
The Giants went through plenty of infield options in 2026, and Kennedy was one of them. He still hasn’t managed to stick in the big leagues, though maybe next season brings a different outcome - or another team gets its own Buddy Kennedy psychological experience.*
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Rafael Devers Just Made The Giants Offseason Decision Much Harder
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Devers finished with a .258/.340/.525 batting line, 37 home runs and 98 RBIs before a core muscle injury shut him down in September. For a Giants club weighing its offseason priorities, his production only sharpens the conversation around how much value he brought and how important it is to keep that bat in the lineup going forward. [Read more 🡒]