2007, a contract year, proved to be Rowand's breakthrough, both statistically and in recognition around baseball. He finished with a batting average of .309, 27 home runs, 89 runs batted in, and 6 stolen bases. On July 10, 2007, Rowand was selected to the 2007 MLB All-Star Game in San Francisco, for his first All-Star appearance. In the bottom of the 9th, with the bases loaded, two outs, and the AL leading 5-4, Rowand flew out to Alex Ríos in right field to end the game helping give the American League home field advantage in the 2007 World Series. He earned his first Gold Glove Award for his outfield play that year, including 11 outfield assists and only 2 errors all season.
Rowand signed a five-year-$60 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on December 12, 2007. In the face of dismal expectations for the rebuilding season, Rowand declared the next month that the Giants could win the division. Rowand's prediction did not come true, however, as the 2008 Giants struggled to a 72-90 finish. Rowand himself did not come close to his 2007 numbers with Philadelphia, as his OPS dropped by over one hundred points to .749, below the .772 league average.