The Giants’ latest roster shuffle says plenty about where Grant McCray stands right now.
On Friday, San Francisco called up outfielders Turner Hill and Jonah Cox from Triple-A, while sending McCray and infielder Nate Furman back to Sacramento. For McCray, the move only deepens the uncertainty around his place in the organization.
The demotion was hardly a surprise given how little he has produced at the plate. McCray had just three hits in 37 at-bats this season, and one of them was a loud opposite-field two-run homer. Without that swing, he likely would have been sent down even earlier.
At 25, McCray has now cycled through brief big-league stints at the end of each of the last three seasons, and the offensive line has gone the wrong way every time. He hit .202/.238/.379 with five home runs and 10 runs batted in across 37 games in 2024.
Last year, it dropped to .091/.160/.182. This season, he’s sitting at .081/.227/.162.
That’s what makes this so frustrating. The tools are obvious.
McCray’s speed plays on the bases and in the outfield, and he may have the best outfield arm in the entire organization. He’s also made a pair of eye-catching assists over the last two years.
If the bat ever came around even a little, he could still profile as a useful fourth or fifth outfielder. But that’s the problem: right now, it’s tough to see where he fits.
And he’s no longer alone in the mix. Drew Gilbert offers solid defense and has done more offensively over the past two years.
Victor Bericoto is set to get a look in left field. With Cox and Hill now up, they’re likely to get extended chances too.
There are more names coming behind them as well, including Bo Davidson and Parks Harber, which only tightens the squeeze. McCray may already have burned through most of his chances.
For now, he still makes sense as insurance on the 40-man roster in case of injury. But unless he starts hitting at the major league level, that may be the role he’s stuck with.
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