SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On the same day the San Francisco Giants brought in a veteran, Gold Glove-winning shortstop, the one who spent the past 13 years with the organization reportedly found his new home.
Brandon Crawford and the St. Louis Cardinals came to an agreement Monday on a deal that will prolong the three-time All-Star’s professional career but also take him to a new organization — and a new spring training home — for the first time.
The deal, still pending a physical, has not been officially announced.
According to The Athletic, which first reported news of the agreement, Crawford, 37, is expected to serve as the backup to 21-year-old Masyn Winn.
The arrangement is not so different than the one for which Nick Ahmed signed up for with the Giants, finalizing a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training on Monday to back up and mentor 22-year-old rookie top prospect Marco Luciano. Other veteran shortstops to come off the board in recent days include Tim Anderson (Miami: one year, $5 million), Kiké Hernandez (Dodgers: one year, $4 million) and Amed Rosario (Tampa Bay: one year, $1.25 million).
Once the Giants brought in Ahmed, who like Crawford had spent his entire career with one team, the Diamondbacks, it all but assured there would be no reunion in San Francisco.
In his 13th and final season with the Giants, Crawford battled age and injuries, posting career worsts in most offensive categories, before ceding the shortstop position to Luciano in the ninth inning of the final game of the season, receiving a final standing ovation from the fans who watched him grow from a two-sport star at Foothill High School into a two-time World Series champion.
The Giants will see Crawford for the first time for the Rickwood Classic in June, when they will face the Cardinals for one game at Willie Mays’ Negro Leagues ballpark in Birmingham, Alabama, before continuing the three-game series at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals don’t visit Oracle Park until the final series of the season, over the last weekend of September.
