Three-time All-Star shortstop Brandon Crawford announced his retirement via his Instagram account on Wednesday.
Crawford played 13 of his 14 major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants, winning World Series rings in 2012 and 2014. He won four Gold Glove Awards during his career.
Crawford’s best season was 2021, when he batted .298 with 24 home runs and 90 RBIs in 138 games, finishing fourth in National League MVP voting.
Crawford, 37, spent 2024 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but will long be remembered as one of the best shortstops in Giants history. He played in a franchise record 1,617 games at the position, breaking the record held by Hall of Famer Travis Jackson (1,326 games from 1922 to 1936).
“Growing up in the Bay Area and going to Candlestick games, I always dreamed of playing for the San Francisco Giants,” Crawford wrote. “Being drafted by my hometown team and spending most of my career with them was far beyond any childhood dream I had. I definitely loved pretending we won the World Series in my backyard. But winning two games was beyond my wildest dreams.”
“I always dreamed of being the Giants’ shortstop, but I never imagined breaking the record for most games played at that position.”
Crawford first reached the majors in 2011 and was a key player on title teams in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, he was selected as a National League All-Star for the first time. He was also selected to the team in 2018 and 2021.
“Watching Brandon play was an absolute privilege, not just for me but for Giants fans around the world,” Giants 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 always had class, honor and respect.”
Crawford appeared in just 28 games for St. Louis last season, hitting .169 with one home run and four RBIs in those 28 games before the team released him in August.
“It was an unforgettable trip,” Crawford said. “Thank you to the Giants for making my dreams come true and allowing me to be a part of so many things throughout my career in San Francisco.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brandon Crawford retires: Longtime Giants star retires from MLB
