Brandon Crawford would have returned to the San Francisco Giants, but there was just one problem, according to the 13-year MLB veteran.
The Giants didn't want him back.
Crawford, who signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals this past Tuesday, shared in an interview with Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic that he was interested in a return to San Francisco but that Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi did not feel the same.
“The bottom line is I was not wanted back by the one person whose opinion matters,” Crawford said.
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Crawford, who spent all 13 years of his career with the Giants, called a return the “ideal situation.” Unfortunately for the 37-year-old, Zaidi opted to go younger at the shortstop position.
The Mountain View, Ca. native has posted a .250/.319/.396 slash line while winning four Gold Gloves, earning All-Star honors three times and winning two World Series during his career with San Francisco.
Crawford, a starter at shortstop since 2012, will likely take a backseat to the Cardinals’ top shortstop prospect Masyn Winn in St. Louis.