Cody Glenn-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Pillar’s season began with tears, traded from Toronto — where he played his entire career — to San Francisco after five games.
It’s ending with hardware.
The center fielder is the 2019 Willie Mac Award winner, bestowed upon him before he played his 159th game of the season.
“I’d like to thank Farhan [Zaidi] for believing in me and trading for me and making me a Giant,” Pillar said Friday before the Giants took on the Dodgers at Oracle Park.
Pillar also thanked his wife “for being so strong,” his daughter, Giants fans, players, stadium employees and virtually everyone after a trying season that is ending with appreciation.
Without the late Willie McCovey to present the award for “the most inspirational player on the team, voted upon by Giants players, coaches, training staff and fans,” it was Bruce Bochy and McCovey’s widow, Estelle, who put Pillar in select company.
On hand were past winners Mike Krukow, Darrell Evans, Chris Speier, Dave Dravecky, Mike Felder, Mark Leiter, Shawon Dunston, Robby Thompson, Marvin Benard, Ellis Burks, Omar Vizquel, Andres Torres, Ryan Vogelsong, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Javier Lopez, Brandon Crawford and Will Smith.
“I think it’s an awesome award. Their peers are voting on it. It means a lot to these players,” Bochy said before the presentation.
The ceremony had a sadder feel this season, the first time McCovey, who died in October, was not there to congratulate the winner.
“That man was so loved by the players in the clubhouse,” Bochy said. “Real class man. Fun guy to have around the clubhouse and talk baseball. He watched all these games and knew everything about the players. He will be missed tonight, and we’ll all be thinking about him.”