Giants Backups Turn Sixth Inning into Slam Fest Against Cubs

The San Francisco Giants had five home runs on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. None were hit by a player that is projected to be in the opening day starting lineup.

That certainly doesn’t make them meaningless, especially how three of them happened. Three players vying for backup jobs turned the sixth inning of the Giants’ 9-5 win over the Cubs into their own personal job interviews.

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Outfielder Grant McCray, designated hitter Jesus Rodriguez and third baseman Buddy Kennedy all hit home runs in the frame, with McCray leading off and hitting back-to-back home runs with Rodriguez.

San Francisco Giants Home Run Fest

The #SFGiants rip three homers in the 6th pic.twitter.com/g20kEmLFNq
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) March 8, 2026

McCray, a left-handed hitter, hit his home run on a 3-2 pitch, sending the ball into the left field seats 377 feet away from home plate. It was an impressive opposite field shot that helped cut Chicago's lead to 5-3.

Rodriguez wasn’t as patient as McCray. The catcher — who is fighting for a back-up job behind Patrick Bailey — slammed a 1-0 pitch into the left field seats to cut Chicago's lead even further.

Those home runs were solo shots. Kennedy’s homer run was a two-run shot that scored Victor Bericoto. The 1-1 offering saw the right-handed Kennedy pull it into the left field seats. San Francisco was up 6-5 and they never gave up the lead.

The other two home runs in the game came from prospect Parks Harber, who slammed his in in the fifth inning, and Eric Haase, who hit his in the eighth inning. Haase is also competing for the backup job behind the plate, along with Daniel Susac, a Rule 5 draft pick who must make the opening day roster or be exposed to waivers.

Of the three players that hit home runs in the sixth, McCray is the most likely to make the opening day roster. The 25-year-old outfielder made his MLB debut in 2024 and has career slash of .185/.226/.349 in 59 games. But McCray is a battle, too. Luis Matos is having a sensational spring, as is Will Brennan, who was signed in the offseason.

With Heliot Ramos in left field, Harrison Bader in center field and Jung Hoo Lee in right field, San Francisco has at most two outfield spots for opening day. Plays like that home run by McCray could make a difference in the final days before the roster must be set.