San Francisco Giants center fielder Grant McCray (58) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Giants Call up Grant McCray, JT Brubaker As Rosters Expand for September

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The San Francisco Giants have promoted to players with Major League experience as they expanded their roster to 28 players for the remainder of the season.

The Giants announced that they recalled outfielder Grant McCray and pitcher JT Brubaker from Triple-A Sacramento in advance of Monday’s game with the Colorado Rockies. The moves did not require San Francisco to option a player, but it did require them to move reliever Randy Rodriguez to the 60-day injured list to make room for Brubaker on the 40-man roster.

San Francisco could continue to make moves throughout September with the rosters expanded. The Giants (68-69) are still mathematically alive for a playoff berth. But they are 10 games out of the NL West race entering Monday’s action. San Francisco is also five games out of the final NL wild card berth. It would take winning three out of every four games the remainder of the season for the Giants to have a realistic chance of sneaking into the postseason.

Assessing Grant McCray, JT Brubaker

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

McCray is up with the Giants for just the second time this season. He was first promoted to the Majors on Aug. 1 after the trade deadline shook up the roster and then was optioned back to Triple-A Sacramento on Aug. 21. He slashed .100/.100/.200 with an RBI. He made his MLB debut last year with San Francisco, as he slashed .202/.238/.379 with five home runs and 10 Rbi in 37 games.

The 24-year-old will be outfield depth for the Giants the remainder of the season. He’ll play behind Jung Hoo Lee in center field and can flex into either outfield position in the late innings or serve as a pinch-runner. He was San Francisco’s third round pick in the 2019 MLB draft out of Lakewood Ranch High School in Bradenton, Fla., and is the son of former MLB player Rodney McCray.

Brubaker joined the San Francisco organization on Aug. 13 on a minor league contract after he was released by the New York Yankees. He was assigned to Sacramento. He has four years of MLB experience and has worked as both a starter and a reliever. With the Yankees this season he was not involved in a decision in 12 relief appearances, as he finished with a 3.38 ERA. New York placed him on its 60-day injured list in June with a left rib fracture.

Before joining the Yankees, he spent his first three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, mostly as a starting pitcher. In three years with the Pirates, he went 9-28 with a 4.99 ERA in 63 games (61 starts). He struck out 324 and walked 109 in 315.2 innings. The 31-year-old was the Pirates’ sixth-round pick in the 2015 MLB draft out of Akron. He likely fits into the Giants’ staff as a reliever, perhaps in a bulk innings role.

This article first appeared on San Francisco Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: