Sports
Called home: Giants’ Grant McCray deeply saddened by the death of Rickey Henderson
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Grant McCray led off the San Francisco Giants’ exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday at Camelback Ranch and he hobbled down the first base line after his foot absorbed a cut fastball. A trainer rushed out to check on him. He grimaced and he shook his leg and he jogged in place.
On the next pitch, he stole second base.
“Been waiting for that chance to run,” McCray said. “I’m always itching to go.”
McCray is one of the best minor-league base stealers in recent franchise history. In three years at full-season affiliates, he has been successful in 109 of 132 attempts. How impressive is his 82.6 percent success rate over that span? Consider that Rickey Henderson, who swiped a major league-record 1,406 bases, retired with a success rate of 80.6 percent.
McCray, who never lacks for confidence, might have brought up that fact with Henderson this spring. They might have had a laugh over it while engaging in some light trash talk. Late last year, Giants manager Bob Melvin mentioned to McCray that he would set up a spring training meeting with Henderson, whom he knew well from his time with the Oakland A’s. McCray was ecstatic. He patterned so much of his game after the Hall of Fame legend — not just the skills but the brash fearlessness, too. So many times throughout November and December, McCray daydreamed about how that conversation would go, what questions he would ask, what inspiration he hoped to take.
Then Henderson, who scored more runs than anyone in major-league history, died unexpectedly Dec. 20.
“Unfortunately, God calls everybody home at some point,” McCray said. “It was a really sad day for me. I don’t have a lot of idols, and he was a big part of defining my game. I felt that hunger and drive and ambition is something I strive for, and he really set the tone for me.”
Henderson played his last major-league game in 2003 when McCray was just 2 years old. Henderson shared the field with McCray’s father, Rodney, in just three major-league games. But some idols are such perfect paragons that they transcend time and proximity.
“He’s one in a million,” McCray said of Henderson. “Meeting someone like that, or meeting Barry Bonds, you can’t forget it. That’s old-school baseball right there. There aren’t many of them around anymore. Just getting that knowledge from him would’ve been incredible.”
Melvin experienced all kinds of emotions and memories after Henderson’s passing. One of them was to think back to that promised meeting with McCray and to lament that it would never happen.
“You know Rickey, he is so great about everything,” Melvin said. “Even though he’s with the A’s, he would’ve come over to help us. I just wanted him (McCray) to feel the importance of a guy like Rickey to come over and talk baseball. Unfortunately, it couldn’t happen. But I think Grant appreciated the effort to do something to make him a better player.”
Grant McCray went 5-for-5 on stolen-base attempts for the Giants in 2024. (Tim Warner / Getty Images)
If only the wistfulness ended there. McCray experienced more sadness and disappointment in June when Willie Mays died just two days before the Giants legend was set to be honored in a regular-season game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., where he played as a teenager for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. The Giants had made travel arrangements for every one of their minor-league players with any African American heritage to leave their affiliates and attend the game. Mays died one day before McCray was ticketed to fly to Alabama from Sacramento, where he’d just been promoted from Double A.
“I almost didn’t feel like going after that,” McCray said. “It was devastating.”
Even before Mays passed, it had been determined that the 93-year-old legend was too frail to make the trip from his home in Atherton, Calif., to attend the Rickwood game. But in the weeks leading up to the event, McCray assumed he’d finally get the chance to meet the Say Hey Kid. He couldn’t wait to introduce himself to Mays.
There have been thousands of Giants prospects over the years who never reached the big leagues but came away from their pro experience with a Mays autograph or a selfie or merely the chance to say that they shook his hand. That’s because Mays would visit Scottsdale every spring — along with Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda — to speak to the entire minor-league system while instilling them with pride for the uniform hanging in their locker.
McCray never had that chance. The 24-year-old outfielder was drafted in June 2019. Mays spent his last spring training in Scottsdale in 2020, when COVID-19 was turning into a pandemic. Before Mays had a chance to visit minor-league camp that spring, the world shut down. In the years that followed, the trip to Arizona became a bit too much for him.
McCray, who is biracial, said he often put out feelers with club officials about letting him spend a little time with Mays. He is beyond saddened that a meeting never happened.
“I just feel like we would’ve had a lot to talk about,” he said.
One of McCray’s dreams is to play in a major-league game while wearing a Giants throwback uniform that is a tribute to Mays — something he would love to see the Giants do on Mays’ birthday, May 6, every year.
Now McCray, who made his major-league debut last season, is looking to his contemporaries for counsel. He’s often engaging Willy Adames and Matt Chapman in conversation about how they handled themselves as young players while seeking to establish themselves in the big leagues.
Although McCray and Jung Hoo Lee are the only true center fielders on the 40-man roster, the Giants outfield appears set on Opening Day (Lee, Mike Yastrzemski and Heliot Ramos) and Jerar Encarnacion, who crushed a 111 mph home run Wednesday, is out of options and all but certain to make the team. The fifth outfielder is likely to be a right-handed hitter such as Luis Matos who can spell Yastrzemski against left-handed pitching.
McCray flashed power (five home runs, three doubles and two triples) and speed (5-for-5 on stolen-base attempts) in 37 games last season but has more work to do after posting a 43.1 percent strikeout rate in 130 big-league plate appearances. On that front, he’s still finding his footing in the batter’s box this spring (2-for-15, eight strikeouts).
But don’t tell McCray that there isn’t a place for him on the Giants’ roster from the jump.
“I want to break camp with the team,” said McCray, who was energized when he heard club president Buster Posey describe his desire for an opportunistic and dynamic offense that can score runs in multiple ways. “I’ve got power, I’ve got speed. I have contact, too, and I haven’t been great at it right now, but it’s still early. I can change the game in a lot of ways. We have a lot of guys with those abilities: Jung Hoo, Matos, Ramos, Fitzy (Tyler Fitzgerald), and if we piece them all together, I feel like, dude, we’re a scary lineup. Yeah, we’re young. But I feel like we get counted out when we’ve got more ability than a lot of other teams.”
McCray will never get the chance to soak up wisdom from Mays and Henderson. He can only guess what they would’ve told him: to trust his abilities and to play with confidence. As reinforcing as that message would’ve been, though, it’s not entirely clear that McCray needed to hear it. If a bruised foot won’t keep him from running, neither would a bruised ego.
“He’s a driven kid,” Melvin said. “He wants to be good at everything. And he’s one of the few guys in our organization who has all the tools to be a really good player. There’s a lot to like.”
More on Rickey Henderson’s life and career
• Always on the move, Rickey Henderson leaves legacy as one of baseball’s greatest showmen
• For all his wondrous MLB accomplishments, Rickey Henderson is best known as the ‘Man of Steal’
• Rickey Henderson declared his own greatness and gave permission to do the same
• Rickey Henderson finished his career in indy ball. There, a legend showed a different side
(Top photo of Grant McCray stealing second base: Joe Camporeale / Imagn Images)
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The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have a great start to their Thanksgiving Day.
The team’s flight on Wednesday night from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport was scheduled for 5 p.m. ET, but they weren’t able to get into the air for their trip to Baltimore until 10:32 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware.
As a result, the Bengals, who play their AFC North rival Ravens on Thanksgiving night, didn’t get to their hotel until after midnight.
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Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium on Oct. 16, 2025, in Cincinnati. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The team was supposed to land in Baltimore at 6:19 p.m. ET, but they technically landed on Thanksgiving, arriving at Baltimore/Washington International Airport at 12:03 a.m.
WLWT in Cincinnati also reported the Bengals had to switch planes, though there was no word on why they were forced to change.
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It wasn’t an ideal situation for the Bengals; however, it could’ve been worse if the flight had been delayed any later. If the game were played earlier in the day, it certainly would have been more of an issue.
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions had the first game on Thanksgiving Day, while the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Kansas City Chiefs for the 4:25 p.m. ET start.
While the Bengals are 3-8, this is a massive game for the franchise as they welcome back starting quarterback Joe Burrow, who recovered from toe surgery after an injury in Week 2 this season.
Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals looks to pass during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium on Sept. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Burrow didn’t play this past Sunday despite being a full practice participant, but head coach Zac Taylor made the call with the short week ahead and the Thursday night matchup in mind.
Cincinnati has lost its last four games. However, Burrow hasn’t lost a game since December 2024, going 7-0 in his last seven starts.
Burrow also had qualms about playing the Ravens for the fourth straight year in prime time on the road.
“Maybe we can get one of those in Cincinnati next year, please,” Burrow said back in May.
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Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are winners of their last five games after starting the season 1-5 in shocking fashion. They share the AFC North lead with the Pittsburgh Steelers, making this another crucial game for the franchise’s playoff hopes.
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During each of his last two Decembers at USC, Lincoln Riley faced a critical decision at quarterback: Pursue a new passer in the portal or trust the one who’s next in line?
In each case, Riley has opted to keep the known quantity. But as his fourth regular season at USC comes to a close Saturday against UCLA, the coach could face a more complicated conundrum at the position this offseason.
Run it back with Jayden Maiava, who statistically has been one of the more accomplished passers in college football this season? Or turn the page to electric five-star freshman Husan Longstreet, who might not be willing to wait much longer for his shot as USC’s starting quarterback?
It’s a question that has confounded many college football coaches during the transfer portal era, as the notion of a top quarterback prospect patiently waiting his turn to be named a starter has become increasingly rare. Of the top dozen quarterbacks in the class of 2024, six have already transferred. From 2023, it’s seven of the top 12. From 2022, it’s eight. And of those who do stay, only a handful were still waiting to start as sophomores.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava looks for an open receiver during a win over Michigan at the Coliseum on Oct. 11.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
It’s not clear yet if that’ll be the case with Longstreet. But this week, Riley made a clear plea for the young passer’s patience when asked about the challenge of convincing a top prospect to stick around in a reserve role.
“For any player, especially a quarterback, I don’t know if this would be the right time to leave this place,” Riley said. “This thing is getting pretty good. And I think a lot of people recognize that, both in what we have now and what we’re bringing in, where this thing is going.”
Speaking to Longstreet’s situation, Riley pointed to his track record with quarterbacks who waited their turn.
“Other than Jalen Hurts, we haven’t had any quarterback that’s come in and was the guy right away,” Riley said. “Every one of them, all the guys that did all the things, they all had that time. And if you ask them now, maybe then they wanted to be playing of course, the competitor in them. But if you ask them now, they’re all damn happy they had time and it made a big difference. Because when it became their time, they were ready.”
USC quarterback Husan Longstreet scores a touchdown against the Missouri State at the Coliseum on Aug. 30.
(Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Maiava, of course, has been more than just a mere caretaker. After all, he leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game this season (3,174), while also leading USC in rushing touchdowns (6). With Maiava and his cannon arm at the helm, USC’s offense has returned to its right place as one of college football’s most explosive outfits, producing 51 plays of 20-plus yards this season, fourth-most in the nation.
On paper, there’s no reason to think Riley would be eager to replace Maiava, who has rejuvenated both the read-option game and the downfield aspect of his offense since taking over for Miller Moss last season. But the conversation about USC’s future at the position was complicated by the second half of the season, during which Maiava stumbled against stiffer competition.
During the Trojans’ first six games, Maiava appeared to have taken a major step forward. He was completing 72% of his passes, up 12% from the previous year. He was averaging an eye-popping 11 yards per attempt, two yards better than Caleb Williams in his Heisman-winning season. Plus, after vowing to cut down on turnovers, Maiava had only thrown two interceptions over those six games, showcasing a much better grasp of the game and Riley’s offense.
“A very high percentage of our plays, he knows what to do and where to go with the ball,” Riley said. “He’s very comfortable with what we’re doing. Very focused, confident on his reads. That’s why he’s been so efficient all year.”
The strong start garnered serious NFL interest. Pro Football Focus just recently ranked Maiava as the No. 5 draft-eligible quarterback in the upcoming draft. But his second half of the season has begged some questions — not just about whether Maiava is ready to declare for the draft, but whether he’s the right quarterback for Riley to prioritize heading into next season.
Up against three of the nation’s top 11 defenses in pass yards allowed — Oregon, Iowa and Nebraska — Maiava keeps up the same consistency from the season’s first half. His completion rate, through his last five outings, sits just above 59% — lower than it was during his 2024 stint as USC’s starter. Maiava’s turnovers have also tripled during that stretch (6), while he’s averaging more than three yards fewer per attempt (7.64)
Riley said Tuesday that Maiava’s inconsistencies of late were due to the caliber of defenses he’s faced — and circumstances that forced USC’s offense to be aggressive downfield.
“We’ve continued to score points and win games and have one of the best offenses in the country, and he’s been a big part of that,” Riley said. “He’s still learning. He can play better. But he’s continuing to give us chances to win every week.”
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava gestures to teammates during a win over Iowa on Nov. 15.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
He’ll also have the chance in the coming weeks to consider if he wants to enter the NFL draft.
In the meantime, Longstreet will continue to watch dutifully as the No. 2 quarterback. He’s appeared in four games, completing 13 of 15 passes, on his way to a redshirt season. That time waiting, Riley said, has been essential.
“This has been such a valuable year for him — to serve as a backup quarterback, to learn, to just kind of be there to see all of these things transpire,” Riley said. “These are just things you can’t simulate. It gives you an opportunity to watch these different situations, how they happen, be able to go back, like, ‘What would you do? How would you handle it?’
“The hope is maybe you learn, ‘All right, I wasn’t the one playing, but when I am, I know exactly what I need to do or what I don’t need to do.’ It might be about on the field. It might be about leadership. It might be about a number of different things.”
USC quarterback Husan Longstreet is pushed out of bounds by Illinois’ Miles Scott at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 27 in Champaign, Ill.
(Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
When Longstreet will get a chance to put that knowledge to use remains to be seen. But his teammates at USC have been impressed so far by what they’ve seen from the freshman.
“Husan is a machine, for real,” said freshman Tanook Hines. “He throwing that thing about 80 [yards], then turn around and run 4.3, 4.2.”
Others were even more encouraging of the quarterback they hope stays a part of USC’s plans.
“He’s destined for greatness,” guard Kaylon Miller said of Longstreet. “Every single time I see him out there, I tell him, keep doing your thing. You keep going on the route you are right now, you’re going to be great.”
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After coming up short in a Game 7 World Series thriller, the Toronto Blue Jays wasted little time making a free agency splash.
According to multiple reports, free agent pitcher Dylan Cease agreed to a $210 million, seven-year contract. Cease has been a reliable arm, making at least 32 starts in each of the last five MLB seasons.
The right-hander posted a 4.55 ERA with the San Diego Padres. He recorded 215 strikeouts and walked 71 batters in 168 innings.
Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park July 25, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
Cease spent his first five years with the Chicago White Sox, including a 2022 season in which he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA despite leading the majors in walks. He finished second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.
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After one more year in Chicago, he was traded to San Diego in March 2024 and went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA that season, finishing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease celebrates after the third out during the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers Sept. 24, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
Cease was one of the top free-agent pitchers on the market this offseason and he joins a Blue Jays team that won the American East division this year.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease winds up to throw against the Washington Nationals July 25, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Toronto’s rotation already features Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and José Berríos. Chris Bassitt and 41-year-old Max Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young Award winner who started Game 7 of the World Series, became free agents this month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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