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Two-time World Series champion Brandon Crawford, who earned a reputation as one of the best defensive shortstops of his generation, announced his retirement from baseball on Wednesday, ending one of the most accomplished professional careers by an athlete from Pleasanton.
The 2005 Foothill High School graduate played 13 seasons for his hometown San Francisco Giants, winning four Gold Glove Awards, making multiple All-Star Games and finishing fourth in National League Most Valuable Player balloting in 2021. He steps away after 28 games with the St. Louis Cardinals this past year.
“Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the rest of my life I will be thankful for the opportunities and experiences it has given me,” Crawford, 37, said in a post on Instagram sharing the news on the day before Thanksgiving.
“Time is precious. I’m incredibly grateful for all the years I spent playing the game I love, but now it is time for me to spend it with the people who I’m most thankful for,” the Bay Area native added. “It’s been an unbelievable ride.”
Born on the Peninsula and raised in Pleasanton since his elementary school years, Crawford was a three-sport athlete in high school, including playing quarterback for the Foothill Falcons in addition to his dominance on the diamond. He then starred at UCLA for three years before signing with the Giants following the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.Â
The Giants called Crawford up for the first time in 2011, giving him multiple stints in the majors that season with the defending champs, before he took over the starting shortstop role for good in 2012.
Anchoring the Giants’ defense up the middle, the lefty-hitting Crawford proved crucial for San Francisco in its run to a second World Series title in three years – and Crawford’s first. He would earn his second ring with the Giants two years later in the thrilling, seven-game series with the Kansas City Royals.
Crawford cemented his status the next season, winning his first of three consecutive Gold Glove Awards and making his first All-Star Game in 2015. He was an All-Star again in 2018 and 2021 — the latter a resurgent year that also saw Crawford in the thick of the MVP conversation and claim his fourth Gold Glove.
Reflecting on his “unforgettable journey” with the Giants, Crawford said his career with the orange and black was “nothing short of extraordinary” to him.
“Growing up in the Bay Area and going to games at Candlestick, I always dreamed of playing for the San Francisco Giants. Being drafted by my hometown team and spending most of my career with them far surpassed any dream I had as a kid,” Crawford said in his Instagram post. “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 most games played at the position,” he added. “Thank you Giants for allowing me to live out my dream and be a part of so much throughout my career in San Francisco.”
His final two seasons by the Bay were tougher for Crawford as he played out the rest of his contract with the Giants, who were also inconsistent as a team.
Following the 2023 campaign, Crawford signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals, but the 2024 season in St. Louis was difficult in a backup role and he was released in mid-August. In his retirement announcement, Crawford expressed his appreciation for the Cardinals organization, in particular for allowing him a chance to play in front of his youngest child.
“Baseball has given me, Jalynne, and the kids more than we ever thought possible, and for that we are so thankful,” Crawford said. “I wouldn’t have been able to have the career I did without their love and support every step along the way. I also want to thank my parents, siblings, in-laws, coaches, teammates, fans and everyone else who guided, helped, and rooted for me throughout my career.”
“Now it’s time for the next chapter, and I can’t wait for the new opportunities and different experiences that it will create,” he added.
