Former Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford has signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Cardinals pending a physical, NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovich confirmed Monday.
The Athletic's Katie Wu first reported Crawford's agreement with the Cardinals.
News of Crawford's agreement with the Cardinals comes hours after Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that St. Louis was “believed to have strong interest” in acquiring the 13-year MLB veteran. Announced.
Derrick Gold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch later reported, citing sources, that there was a mutual interest. Between Crawford and the Cardinals.
Crawford's new home comes after the Giants signed two-time Gold Glove winner Nik Ahmed to a minor league contract earlier Monday.
The Cardinals will likely use Crawford as a backup shortstop behind Macyn Wynn, a 21-year-old top prospect and potential starter who finished the 2023 MLB season in St. Louis.
Crawford, who spent his entire 13-year MLB career with the Giants, has hinted at a desire to play in 2024. His agent confirmed to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle in November that Crawford, 37, was open to continuing his career.
The Giants envision Marco Luciano as their future shortstop, and the team ejected Crawford in the final game of the 2023 regular season against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They never called it his retirement, and he never suggested that was his plan.
Although Crawford has been an important piece to the Giants since his MLB debut in 2011, his production has steadily declined and the team was ready to move in a different direction. His career ended in 2021, and his subsequent 2022 and 2023 seasons were also disappointing.
However, the veteran Cardinals gave Crawford a great opportunity to wear a different jersey for the first time in his MLB career.
It will take some time for Giants fans to get used to seeing Crawford in Cardinal red.
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