SAN FRANCISCO -- When the Giants called up Ford Proctor from Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, they presented him with a fitting jersey number: 65.

After making his Major League debut at Chase Field that night, Proctor became the 65th player used by the Giants this season, breaking the franchise record previously set in 2019. Manager Gabe Kapler attributed the roster churn to the organization’s desire to evaluate as many players as possible as it prepares to turn the page on a disappointing 2022 season.

“I think it’s a combination of having to use so many players and also wanting to see so many players,” Kapler said. “I think one of the ways you find the successful stories, like LaMonte Wade Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski and others, is to move those guys through these types of opportunities.

“It’s sometimes worth it to churn through some players to find those diamonds.”

It’s too early to say whether Proctor will end up developing into one of those gems, but he’s off to a good start. The 25-year-old rookie launched a grand slam for his first career Major League home run on Thursday, helping the Giants finish off a sweep of the last-place Rockies with a 6-4 win at Oracle Park.

After winning nine of its last 10 games, San Francisco (78-78) climbed back to .500 for the first time since Aug. 23, leaving the club’s elimination number at two with six games left to play.

Proctor, who started at second base and batted ninth, stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded in the second inning and promptly broke the game open by driving a first-pitch sinker from Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner out to left-center field, staking the Giants to a 5-0 lead. The native of Beaumont, Texas, couldn’t contain his excitement after going deep, pumping his fist as he rounded first base and flashing a wide grin upon completing his trip around the bases.

“It’s hard to describe,” said Proctor, who traded a signed bat for the ball after the game. “One of probably my best baseball memories so far. I honestly don’t remember rounding the bases. It was the fastest I’ve ever run around the bases, I know that.”

Proctor became the 16th Giants player to hit a grand slam for his first big league homer and the first since Kelby Tomlinson in 2015. (Brandon Crawford, of course, also accomplished the feat in 2011.)

“That was awesome,” left-hander Carlos Rodón said. “He was pretty excited. It’s one of those things you dream of as a kid. I’m sure he kind of blacked out running around the bases. It was fun to watch.”

Proctor’s milestone blast supported another dominant outing from Rodón, who struck out 10 and allowed only two hits over six shutout innings in what could go down as his final home start for the Giants. Rodón, who is expected to opt out of the final year of his two-year, $44 million deal and test free agency this offseason, retired 18 of the 20 batters he faced, lowering his ERA to 2.88 over a career-high 178 innings.

With his 11th double-digit-strikeout performance of the year, Rodón regained the National League lead with 237 punchouts, leaving him six ahead of Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes, who is scheduled to pitch on Friday. Rodón is lined up to make his final start of the season on Tuesday at San Diego, giving him a shot at becoming the sixth Giants pitcher in the modern era to claim the NL strikeout title.

“There are a lot of good arms in this league that seem to punch out a lot of guys,” Rodón said. “It’d be cool, but we’ll see.”

It’s unclear whether Rodón will be back next year, but Proctor could have a chance to turn into a future contributor for the Giants. Acquired from the Rays in exchange for Minor League right-hander Jeremy Walker on Aug. 2, Proctor has appeared at shortstop, catcher, second, third and first base throughout his Minor League career, making him an intriguing prospect for an organization that prizes defensive versatility.

A left-handed hitter, Proctor batted only .229 with a .697 OPS and 12 homers over 113 games between Triple-A Durham and Sacramento, but he’s finishing the season on a high note. He credited the Giants’ coaching staff with helping him make some adjustments that helped him regain his confidence at the plate this month, when he hit .352 over 16 games with the River Cats.

With three right-handed pitchers scheduled to start for the D-backs this weekend, Proctor could draw a few more looks and continue to build on that momentum over the final week of the regular season.

“I’m just trying to play hard and treat it like a game,” Proctor said. “I’m really excited for the opportunity. I’m just trying to have fun and enjoy being up here.”