OAKLAND – After being shut out in a 2-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, the Giants sat inside the visiting team clubhouse at the Coliseum practically mute.
A single cough could have echoed for several seconds while players showered and changed in utter silence. After speaking to Giants manager Bob Melvin, media members walked over to starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong for his routine postgame scrum.
The questions being asked and Birdsong’s responses were the only sound coming from the clubhouse for three minutes and two seconds. Afterward, it was back to complete silence.
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Reporters waited about 15 more minutes until Grant McCray was available to speak.
Then everything changed and there was a massive energy shift.
McCray first was taken aback that reporters were waiting to speak to him. He nervously walked back to his locker, where Heliot Ramos sat nearby before stating he would get out of the way to let McCray have his moment.
“Dude, stay here please,” McCray exclaimed to Ramos.
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Ramos didn’t listen.
McCray then made a silly face directly into NBC Sports Bay Area’s camera as he waited for the first question to be asked. As reporters leaned their phones and microphones in close to his face, McCray grabbed one of the microphones, confused.
“I'm holding this?” he asked before being told no. “Oh alright. Dude, I don't know what I'm doing!”
Ramos, and those nearby, burst out in laughter.
That 30-second exchange eased what felt like a tense environment simply by McCray being himself. And on the field for the Giants, he’s managed to do the same in a short amount of time.
McCray was promoted from Triple-A and made his MLB debut against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night at Oracle Park. He smashed his first big-league homer the following day, which helped San Francisco avoid a series sweep by Atlanta.
The Giants entered Saturday’s contest against the A’s eager – and desperate – to bounce back from the Braves series with the third National League wild card spot on their mind. Instead, they lost 2-0 and dropped back under .500, but McCray was one of the few bright spots that shouldn’t get lost with a team that has yet to be found.
On Saturday, it took the Giants six innings to get their first hit of the game against A’s starter Osvaldo Bido.
And it was none other than McCray, the 23-year-old rookie who was called up just 72 hours prior, breaking up Bido’s no-hit bid – and he used his speed to do it.
McCray reached first on an infield single, and there was never a doubt in his mind that he’d get there.
“Yeah. Yeah,” McCray said when asked if he knew he was going to reach. “I saw [A’s infielder Darell] Hernáiz back up after the 2-1 pitch so I was like, ‘I might bunt here.’ And a swinging bunt works just as fine.”
McCray added that “it was pretty cool” to break up the no-no but he was really just focused on starting a rally for San Francisco’s offense.
And he did, kind of.
Tyler Fitzgerald walked during the next at-bat with one out, but LaMonte Wade Jr. struck out swinging and Heliot Ramos lined out to center to end the inning.
But McCray’s flashy speed did more than just end a potential no-hitter, he also made an unbelievable diving catch that prevented a Miguel Andújar single.
"I said it the day I got called up. I'm here to play my game and my defense can help the team win,” McCray said. “I'm going to put my body on the line to make plays for this team. I'm sure Hayden really enjoyed that.”
Birdsong more than enjoyed it.
“It's fun to watch. He's fast. He's an electric player,” Birdsong said. “I love watching him out there. It's fun to watch and I know he's capable of that.
"I've watched him in the outfield. He's a really good outfielder and I know any ball hit out there is probably going to get tracked down.”
Birdsong spent a lot of time with McCray in the minors, witnessing the outfielder’s speed up close many times, calling it “effortless” when he runs.
With three big-league games now under his belt, McCray said he's feeling more comfortable getting into a rhythm.
"Yeah for sure," McCray said. "It's just another game and once I get all the nerves out I'm just going to play my game and play the best of my ability."
Any nerves he might have had weren't evident against the A's. In fact, he didn't look like anything but a nervous rookie out there Saturday.
"He's off to a great start," Melvin said. "He's playing with a lot of confidence. His speed and his defensive ability made a really nice play in centerfield. [He] surely looks the part. He's fast and having good at-bats right now against guys he's never faced before."
Like in the clubhouse, McCray was one of the few positives in Saturday's loss. And the Giants will need that energetic spirit to keep them afloat from officially reaching rock bottom this season -- a place they're far too close to.
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