In an extensive series, we are taking a look at the top 10 home run hitters of every Major League Baseball franchise. Here we profile the San Francisco Giants, the 25th feature. The list includes the New York Gothams from 1883 to 1884, and the New York Giants from 1885 to 1957.
10) Jeff Kent
The infielder from Bellflower, California had 175 home runs with the Giants from 1997 to 2002. Kent had 33 home runs in 2000, the year he was named the National League Most Valuable Player. Then in 2002, Kent had a career-high 37 home runs, the year the Giants went to the World Series before losing to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Kent’s 354 home runs all-time are the most among second basemen. He had 377 dingers in his career, and 93.9% came at second base.
10) Brandon Belt
The first baseman from Nacogdoches, Texas had 175 home runs with the Giants from 2011 to 2022. He had a career high 29 home runs in 2021. As a National League All-Star in 2016, he had 16 home runs. When the Giants won the 2012 and 2014 World Series, Belt had one postseason home run in each of those years. In 2012, he hit a dinger in game seven of the National League Championship Series, a 9-0 Giants win over the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2014, Belt homered in game two of the National League Divisional Series, a 2-1 Giants win over the Washington Nationals. The game went to 18 innings, the longest MLB postseason game of all-time, and it was Belt who homered in the final inning.
9) Will Clark
The first baseman from New Orleans, Louisiana had 176 home runs with the Giants from 1986 to 1993. He had a career-high 35 home runs in 1987, but was not a National League All-Star that year. Clark was an All-Star with the Giants the next five seasons from 1988 to 1992. Clark’s most memorable home run was a grand slam off of Greg Maddux in game one of the 1989 National League Championship Series. The blast came in an 11-3 Giants win and landed on Addison Street beyond Wrigley Field. However, Clark knew the pitch that was coming. He heard Maddux say to his catcher Rick Wrona, that the pitch would be high and inside. From then on, meetings between pitchers and catchers existed with pitchers talking into their gloves. Clark’s game one performance led him to be named the 1989 NLCS MVP.
8) Bobby Bonds
The rightfielder from Riverside, California, and father of Barry Bonds, had 186 home runs with the Giants from 1968 to 1974. He had 33 home runs as a National League All-Star in 1971, and a career-high 39 home runs as a National League All-Star in 1973. Known for his speed and power, Bonds became the first Major League Baseball player to have 30 stolen bases and 30 home runs twice in a season. He had 32 home runs and 45 stolen bases in 1969, and 39 home runs and 43 stolen bases in 1973. At times Bonds struggled with plate discipline as he led the Major Leagues in strikeouts thrice with the Giants.
7) Bobby Thompson
The outfielder from Glasgow, Scotland had 189 home runs with the New York Giants from 1946 to 1953 and in 1957. He had a career-high 32 home runs in 1951. As a National League All-Star, he had 16 home runs in 1948, 27 home runs in 1949, and 24 home runs in 1952. Thomson’s most memorable home run came on October 3, 1951. Known as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” he hit a three-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning of a 5-4 Giants win over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The win won the Giants the 1951 National League pennant.
6) Orlando Cepeda
The Hall of Fame first baseman from Ponce, Puerto Rico had 226 home runs with the Giants from 1958 to 1966. The six-time National League All-Star had 25 home runs as the 1958 National League Rookie of the Year and led the National League in home runs with 46 in 1961. You could argue Cepeda was the first superstar of the San Francisco Giants.
5) Matt Williams
The third baseman from Bishop, California had 247 home runs with the Giants from 1987 to 1995. A four-time National League All-Star with the Giants, Williams had 33 home runs in 1990, a Major League leading 43 home runs in 1994, 23 home runs in 1995, and 22 home runs in 1996. The 43 home runs in 1994 came in only 112 games as the season was cut short due to the Major League Baseball strike.
4) Willie McCovey
The Hall of Fame first baseman from Mobile, Alabama had 469 home runs with the Giants from 1959 to 1973, and again from 1977 to 1980. McCovey had 13 home runs as the 1959 National League Rookie of the Year. He led the National League in home runs thrice (44 home runs in 1963, 36 home runs in 1968, and 45 home runs in 1969). When McCovey hit 45 home runs in 1969, he was the NL MVP. A six-time All-Star with the Giants, McCovey hit the most home runs ever at Candlestick Park with 231. McCovey’s 18 grand slams are the most in National League history, and he was the first player ever to hit two home runs in an inning twice. He accomplished the feat on April 12, 1973 in a 9-3 Giants win over the Houston Astros, and then on June 27, 1977 in a 14-9 Giants win over the Cincinnati Reds.
3) Mel Ott
The Hall of Fame outfielder from Gretna, Louisiana had 511 home runs with the Giants from 1927 to 1946. Six times he led the National League in home runs (38 in 1932, 35 in 1934, 33 in 1936, 31 in 1937, 36 in 1938, and 30 in 1942). Ott’s career-high in home runs came in 1929 when he had 42 home runs. Ott had one fewer home run than Chuck Klein of Indianapolis, Indiana, who had 43 home runs in 1929 with the Philadelphia Phillies. For 12 straight years from 1934 to 1945, Ott was a National League All-Star. In the 1933 World Series, Ott hit the first home run and the last home run. The first home run came in game one, a 4-2 Giants win over the Washington Nationals, and the second home run came in game five, a 4-3 Giants win. Ott’s game five home run broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the 10th inning. For 18 years, Ott led the Giants in home runs from 1928 to 1945. The 18-year streak is a Major League record by one player for one team.
2) Barry Bonds
The leftfielder from Riverside, California had 586 home runs with the Giants from 1993 to 2007. He led the Major Leagues with 46 home runs in 1993, and set the Major League Baseball single season record with 73 home runs in 2001. In the two seasons Bonds led the Majors in home runs, he was also the National League Most Valuable Player. Bonds was also NL MVP in 2002 (46 home runs), in 2003 (45 home runs) and in 2004 (45 home runs). In 1996, he became the first player in National League history to have 40 home runs (42) and 40 stolen bases (40) in the same season. Even though the Giants lost the 2022 World Series to the Los Angeles Angels, Bonds set the record for most home runs in a single postseason with eight.
1) Willie Mays
The Hall of Fame centerfielder from Westfield, Alabama had 646 home runs with the Giants from 1951 to 1971. Mays led the Major Leagues in home runs with 51 in 1955, 49 in 1962, and a single-season personal career high 52 in 1965. He also led the National League with 47 home runs in 1964 and was named National League MVP. Mays had 20 home runs with the New York Giants as the National League Rookie of the Year in 1951, and 40 home runs as the National League MVP in 1954. Mays did not play in the Majors in 1953 because of military service. Like Bonds, Mays was known for his power and speed. In 1956, he became the first National League player to hit 30 home runs (36) and have 30 stolen bases (40) in the same season. Mays also was the first player to hit 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases in a career. He had 336 stolen bases with the Giants. On April 30, 1961, Mays hit four home runs in a single game. It came in a 14-4 Giants win over the Milwaukee Braves.
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