Brandon Crawford signs two-year, $32M contract extension with San Francisco Giants
One former Bruin cashed in big time Friday afternoon.
Former UCLA shortstop Brandon Crawford has signed a two-year, $32 million extension with the San Francisco Giants, the team announced. Crawford has been in the Giants organization since the 2008 MLB Draft, when he was selected in the fourth round out of Westwood.
Crawford's career earnings will now rise to nearly $112 million, and he is slated to be a free agent following the 2023 season at age 36.
Crawford is having a career year in 2021, hitting .296 with a .904 OPS. After 2020, Crawford's career average was sitting at .250 and his OPS was .709.
The shortstop earned his third career All-Star appearance back in July, and he has 50 games left to hit three home runs and set a new career best in that category as well.
Back in his college days, Crawford hit .319 with an .892 OPS without missing a single one of UCLA's 179 games across his three-year career. Crawford provided a similar sense of security and consistency to the Giants, playing in at least 142 of 162 games every season from 2012 to 2019. Crawford ranks No. 9 in school history in doubles and No. 2 in triples with 44 and 13, and is just 10 hits outside the program's all-time top 10 with 230.
Crawford ended his last two seasons in Westwood by losing to Cal State Fullerton in the NCAA tournament – 2007 in the Super Regionals and 2008 in the Regionals. By the time he got to the big leagues, his postseason fortunes had changed, as he was the starting shortstop on San Francisco's 2012 and 2014 World Series championship teams.
The Giants currently sit five games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and are on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
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