Brandon Crawford, Pleasanton Native, Announces MLB Retirement

PLEASANTON, CA - Brandon Crawford, the three-time All-Star player and two-time World Series winner who graduated Foothill High School in 2005, announced that he is retiring.

“Baseball has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the rest of my life I will be thankful for the opportunities it has given me,” Crawford wrote in an emotional Nov. 27 Instagram post announcing his retirement. “Time is precious. I’m incredibly grateful for all the years I spent playing the game I love, but now it is time for me to spend it with the people I’m most thankful for.”

Crawford, 37, grew up in Pleasanton, and played football, basketball and baseball for Foothill High School. He was also the starting quarterback for the Foothill Falcons. He always dreamed of playing for the San Francisco Giants, his “hometown team.” His dream came true in 2008 when he was drafted to play for the Giants, where he developed into what many consider the greatest shortstop of all time. During his distinguished career, Crawford was a three-time All Star, a four-time Golden Glove winner, and a recipient of the Silver Slugger Award. He helped bring his team to two World Series championships, and was the sixth player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in his first game.

After 13 seasons with the Giants, Crawford signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024. He played for the Cardinals for one season before announcing his retirement. He finishes his career with a .249 lifetime average, 147 home runs, and 1,404 hits, according to MLB.com.

“It was an honor to get to know Brandon as a friend and as a teammate,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said in a statement. “From the first day we were both drafted in 2008 to our final year playing together in 2021, it was an honor to play alongside him for 14 years. Whether it was the clutch moments like the grand slam he hit in the 2014 Wild Card Game in Pittsburgh, the franchise-record, seven-hit game he recorded in Miami, or the dazzling defensive plays and acrobatic throws he made over and over again, Brandon made his mark in a way few athletes ever do.

“I’m beyond grateful for our friendship and wish him all the best in this next chapter of life.”

“Watching Brandon play was an absolute privilege for not only me but for Giants fans everywhere,” Giants president and CEO Larry Baer said in a statement. “He was an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, a two-time World Series champion, and a Lou Gehrig and Willie Mac Award winner that always carried himself with class, honor and respect. The Giants have been incredibly blessed to have had Brandon as part of the franchise for 16 years -- really for his entire 37 years … as this chapter closes on his career, his legacy in the game will be celebrated by fans, teammates, and future generations of players who look up to him by the example he set.”

The Giants will honor Crawford on April 26 at Oracle Park, according to MLB.com.