Even before stepping on the field Sunday to make his San Francisco debut, Kris Bryant was already envisioning a long stay with the Giants.
Bryant is slated to become a free agent following the season but said sticking long-term with the Giants is “definitely enticing.”
Bryant was a Giants fan while growing up in Las Vegas, so he was happy to put on a San Francisco uniform.
In his second at-bat with the team, Bryant delivered a home run to left field in the third inning of Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros. The Giants went on to win 5-3.
“I was telling the guys here, that was one of the more memorable homers I’ve hit,” Bryant said on NBC Sports Bay Area after the game. “The fans really embraced me. I’m having a blast. I’ve been here a day and I feel like I’ve been here all year.”
Bryant played third base and batted second on Sunday. He finished 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
The Giants acquired Bryant from the Chicago Cubs prior to Friday’s trade deadline for two minor leaguers — right-hander Caleb Kilian and outfielder Alexander Canario.
The 29-year-old Bryant spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Cubs, winning 2015 National League Rookie of the Year honors and league MVP in 2016. The four-time All-Star said he is glad the uncertainty of whether he would remain with the Cubs or not is over.
“Just going through the trade rumors and noise and all that is pretty stressful as a player,” Bryant said. “It’s tough to go through that one, two, three times. So, it was a sense of: it happened. I’m happy to be going to a team like the San Francisco Giants.”
Bryant said he was a huge Barry Bonds fan as a kid — which adds to his excitement of playing for the Giants at Oracle Park.
“Everything about him was fun to watch and now I’m here,” Bryant said of Bonds, the former San Francisco star. “It’s kind of weird. It comes full circle and now I’m playing in the big leagues with the San Francisco Giants. It’s pretty cool.”
Sunday’s homer was the 19th of the season and 161st of Bryant’s career. He batted .279 with 465 RBIs in 833 games with the Cubs prior to the trade.