Brandon Crawford, a two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants, announced his retirement from baseball on social media Wednesday.
A three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, Crawford left his mark on the Bay Area during 13 seasons. In June 2021, he became the franchise’s all-time leader in appearances at shortstop with 1,326, breaking a record held by Hall of Famer Travis Jackson. He also had the third-most hits by a shortstop in franchise history, with 1,392.
The 37-year-old spent 2024 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but before that had spent his entire career with his hometown team, which drafted him in the fourth round in 2008. He became a fixture in the Giants lineup in 2011 and helped them reach the playoffs in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2021.
“Growing up in the Bay Area and going to games at Candlestick, I always dreamed of playing for the San Francisco Giants,” Crawford wrote in a post on Instagram. “Being drafted by my hometown team and spending most of my career with them far surpassed any dream I had as a kid. I definitely pretended to win a World Series in my backyard – but winning two? That was beyond my wildest dreams. I always dreamed of being the shortstop for the Giants, but never could I have imagined breaking the team record for the most games played at the position.
“As a kid sitting in the stands at Pac Bell/SBC/ATST/Oracle Park, I would picture myself playing a game there, but I never imagined I’d end up playing the MOST games there. From a grand slam in my debut, silencing the crowd in Pittsburgh, to two unforgettable parades down Market Street, and more memories than I can fit in a single post, the 13 years in the Bay Area were nothing short of extraordinary.”
During his time in San Francisco, he batted .250 with 146 home runs and 744 RBIs. He had arguably his best season towards the end of his Giants stint when he hit .298 with career highs in home runs (24) and RBIs (90) in 2021.
“Watching Brandon play was an absolute privilege for not only me but for Giants’ fans everywhere,” Giants President & CEO Larry Baer said in a news release. “He was an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, a two-time World Series champion, and a Lou Gehrig and Willie Mac Award winner, that always carried himself with class, honor and respect.
“The Giants have been incredibly blessed to have had Brandon as part of the franchise for 16 years — really for his entire 37 years, first as a young fan, who will ever forget that indelible photo of him leaning on the railing at Candlestick Park when there was a possibility that his Giants might leave San Francisco — and as this chapter closes on his career, his legacy in the game will be celebrated by fans, teammates, and future generations of players who look up to him by the example he set.”
The Giants announced plans to honor Crawford, who totaled more than 6,300 plate appearances and was worth 30.9 fWAR, at Oracle Park on April 26.
“It was an honor to get to know Brandon as a friend and as a teammate,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said in a news release. “From the first day we were both drafted in 2008 to our final year playing together in 2021, it was an honor to play alongside him for 14 years. Whether it was the clutch moments like the grand slam he hit in the 2014 Wild Card Game in Pittsburgh, the franchise-record, seven-hit game he recorded in Miami, or the dazzling defensive plays and acrobatic throws he made over and over again, Brandon made his mark in a way few athletes ever do.”
(Photo: D. Ross Cameron / Imagn Images)
