SF Giants’ Brandon Crawford says goodbye in possible final game

It may not be Brandon Crawford’s final baseball game. But if it was, the best shortstop in Giants history had a grand San Francisco farewell.

Crawford played at his usual perch at shortstop and went 0-for-4 in the final game of the season for the San Francisco Giants, which they lost 5-2 to the Dodgers. He was removed before the top of the ninth, tipping his cap to the San Francisco crowd several times and coming out for a curtain call.

But the Giants didn’t let this possible sendoff pass by without making it as special for their shortstop as possible. All four of Crawford’s children threw ceremonial first pitches to their dad before Sunday’s game, with one daughter looking like her mother Jalynne, a former UCLA gymnast, and doing multiple flips before making the pitch.

Crawford went 0-for-4 on the day, striking out in his first two at-bats against Dodgers starter Bobby Miller before he flew out to left in the sixth and grounded out to short in the eighth against reliever Ryan Pepiot.

Defensively, Crawford didn’t get a ball hit his way until the sixth, when he just missed making a diving stop on a grounder from Dodgers catcher Will Smith. He did make one putout in the seventh inning, battling the sun to catch Max Muncy’s infield popup.

Tributes poured in for Crawford throughout the day, both at Oracle Park and on X, formerly known as Twitter. Giants fans tweeted several of their favorite Crawford memories throughout the day, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts heaped praise on Crawford, calling him one of his top 10 favorite players he’s seen. 

“In my 20 years in coaching, he is my all-time favorite,” longtime Giants third base coach Tim Flannery posted about Crawford. 

Crawford received several standing ovations throughout the day, including at the start of the game, before his first and last at-bats and as he was removed from the game in the ninth. Crawford expressed gratitude to the fan base in a short address after the game.

“Personally, from the grand slam in Milwaukee to the World Series wins to today, you guys always showed me love,” Crawford told the Oracle Park crowd. “My family and I appreciate it so much. You guys are the best. Thank you.”

Crawford’s status for this type of sendoff wasn’t guaranteed once he felt tightness in his right hamstring last Wednesday in Arizona. His placement on the 10-day injured list left only the season finale as the last chance to get on the field in orange and black.

But whether Sunday is his final game or not, Crawford’s name is forever etched in the record books of the only franchise he’s ever played for to this point. Sunday’s game is the 1,654th in his career, which is the seventh-most of anyone in the Giants’ 141-year history. 

He’ll end up two games short of another legendary Giants shortstop Travis Jackson, who spent his entire 15-year career with the franchise and played in 1,656 games from 1922 to 1936. But while Jackson was primarily a shortstop, he still played over 300 games at third base and played one game at both second base and in right field.

Crawford? Every single inning he’s ever played in the majors has been at shortstop, except for one: his scoreless inning on the mound on June 11. 

Whether or not he makes the Baseball Hall of Fame, Crawford’s legacy in the Bay Area is more than secured. And his status as a Giants legend will remain forever.