The San Francisco Giants are one of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball history. From their days dominating baseball in New York as the Gothams to their move to the Gold Coast, the team has created priceless memories for baseball fans since 1883. During those years, the team has won 23 National League pennants and eight World Series titles (five in New York and three in San Francisco). When a team has been around for over a century, there’s its fair share of stars and hitters.
Here are the 5 greatest San Francisco Giants sluggers of all time
#5 Buster-Posey
While his 158 homers don’t scream big, Posey’s accomplishments at the catcher en route to leading the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles deserve recognition. No catcher was as offensively dominant in the 2010s, and the severity of the position puts Posey on this list.
#4 Matt Williams
A third baseman perhaps best known to younger fans for his exploits as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks club that won the World Series in 2001, Williams had his best seasons with the Giants. Williams hit 247 of his 378 home runs in San Francisco and likely would have had a more legendary career if the Major League Baseball player hadn’t struck rate in 1994, as he was on track to match the New York Yankees’ then-record 61 home runs Outfielder Roger Maris to compete as he had 43 homers and 110 runs in 115 games. Williams would have an unsuccessful managerial career in his post-play days. However, the San Francisco Giants will always remember him for his ball crushing ability.
#3 Willie McCovey
McCovey’s career is littered with achievements and awards. He was named to the National League All-Star team six times, won the 1969 National League Most Valuable Player Award, and was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot. However, the greatest accomplishment of McCovey’s career as a member of the San Francisco Giants was the naming of McCovey Cove outside of Oracle Park, a body of water that catches home runs hit so hard they physically leave the stadium and splash into the bay. McCovey led the league in home runs for the San Francisco Giants three times and was instrumental in creating a generation of new fans for the club as they completed their apparent destiny expansion to the West Coast. McCovey hit 469 home runs for the franchise.
#2 Barry Bonds
During his time as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Barry Bonds was anything but a thug. The fielder averaged about 25 home runs a year during the early part of his career and was better known for his speed. However, all of that changed when he came to San Francisco, the franchise that propelled his father and godfather into the major leagues. Bonds would have 586 career home runs as the Giant, good enough for second all-time on the team’s list and earning him 762 for his entire career. While Bonds is considered one of the most fearsome hitters in all of baseball, his work with the San Francisco Giants (albeit spoiled) is second only to one man.
#1 Willie Mays
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Godfather of #2 on the list, Willie Mays, is arguably the best player to ever play in a San Francisco Giants jersey. As a member of both the New York Giants and the San Francisco Giants, Mays brought a measure of clout, swagger and credibility to California. The deck was stacked against Mays as he entered the major leagues. After spending two years of his prime in the Negro Leagues, Mays joined a league still in its infancy of integration. He had to play his home games at the Polo Grounds, an enormously sprawling stadium, before relocating to the equally pitcher-friendly Candlestick Park. Combine that with losing two seasons because he was drafted into the US Army for the Korean War, and there’s a good chance the Mays would hold the all-time home run record in place of his godson Bonds. Regardless, the 24-time National League All-Star has clinched 646 of his 660 home runs with the Giants, making him the top slugger in team history.
Edited by Jodi Whisenhunt
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