Brandon Crawford returns to SF Giants’ lineup, on track for Opening Day

Crawford, 36, played in his first Cactus League game since March 10 and is expected to extend his streak of Opening Day starts at shortstop to its 12th year.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The loudest cheers in the Giants’ spring stadium Wednesday afternoon came a few minutes before first pitch, in response to a few words that hadn’t been heard in almost two weeks. “Your starting shortstop,” the stadium speakers boomed, “Brandon Crawford.”

Crawford, 36, returned to the position he is expected to assume on Opening Day, one week from Thursday, for the first time since March 10. After being shut down with inflammation in his left knee, Crawford has maintained he would be ready to make his 12th consecutive Opening Day start at shortstop. He showed no signs Wednesday that he wouldn’t be ready to go at Yankee Stadium on March 30.

Crawford reached base in both of his trips to plate, but it was his defensive work that was the true test for his knee. It’s the side-to-side and stop-and-go movements while making plays at shortstop when the discomfort flares up most, he said.

“I got a couple pretty good tests on it,” Crawford said, verbose as always. “It felt good.”

It took little time for Crawford to show he was back in form. With one on and one out in the top of the first, Brad Miller laced a line drive up the middle. It ricocheted off San Francisco starter Ross Stripling, but the change of direction did nothing to bother Crawford, who in one slick motion fielded the ball, stepped on second base and fired to first for a 1-6-3 double play.

At the plate, Crawford lined a single to right field, his second hit in 12 tries this spring (.167), and drew a four-pitch walk.

“I was able to work on some things while being off because it hasn’t affected me a whole lot while hitting, so I was still able to hit in the cage a few times,” Crawford said, adding that he simplified a couple things in his swing. “It felt good.”

The only players left in camp with fewer at-bats than Crawford are Mitch Haniger and Austin Slater, two others who are dealing with injuries. But the Giants are less concerned about Crawford’s game reps than they are his health at this point in camp.

“I think for a couple of our guys who we just want to get to the finish line, the finish line being Opening Day, as healthy as possible,” manager Gabe Kapler said before Wednesday’s game. “Guys like Craw, like Joc, guys who have already had enough at-bats. It’s just not a huge priority to get them any more. It’s just going to be based on feel.”

After the inflammation in Crawford’s knee, the same issue that sent him to the injured list twice last season, popped up again this spring, he and the club acknowledged it would be an issue that has to be managed throughout the season. He received treatment while he was shut down, including a cortisone shot, that he said was effective. After a monthlong stint on the IL last summer, Crawford returned much closer to his old self offensively and defensively.

The next step now will be a game at designated hitter on Thursday and another start on Saturday. If all goes well, Crawford could play in the Bay Bridge exhibition series. But the more important date is next Thursday, when he would face the Yankees and brother-in-law Gerrit Cole.

In the Giants’ San Francisco history, only Willie Mays and Barry Bonds have made as many consecutive Opening Day starts as Crawford.

‘Great Aunt Jane’ steals the show

The unexpected star of Wednesday stole the spotlight only moments after Crawford was introduced with the starting lineups and just before Stripling entered from the right field bullpen for the top of the first inning.

It was Jane Jones, a woman in her early 90s. Or, as she was introduced over the stadium loudspeakers, “Ross Stripling’s Great Aunt Jane.”

Jones, the matriarch of the Stripling side of the family clan, was in town from west Texas on her near-annual spring training trip, and her daughter, Leigh, arranged for her to throw out the first pitch. It just so happened her great nephew and recent Giants signee was a little preoccupied warming up for his spring start, rendering him unavailable to be on the receiving end.

The pitch wasn’t a cheap one.

Ross Stripling, who is starting today, had his great aunt, Jane, throw out the first pitch. Awesome. pic.twitter.com/uSyrP0sTAE

— Evan Webeck (@EvanWebeck) March 22, 2023

Jones walked all the way to the top the rubber, 60 feet, 6 inches away, and waved to the crowd with both hands over her head. She began her motion by raising her hands over her head again, appearing to ready herself to fire the ball overhand, but then brought them down to her side and lofted the ball toward home plate, where Stripling’s fill-in catcher, Ricardo Geneves, was waiting.

“I texted them ahead of time,” Stripling said with a smile, “like I want to be out there but I can’t break away at 12:55 to catch the first pitch, especially if you’re going to milk it out there, Jane.”

Stripling was, at least, able to pause his warm ups and watch the first pitch through the bullpen’s chainlink fence, and later linked up with the family.

“She fired up the crowd,” Stripling said. “Pretty big break on (the pitch).”

As for his work on the mound, Stripling didn’t get the sixth up that he had hoped for, running his pitch count up into the 70s with 4⅔ innings of work. Despite surrendering six hits, Stripling didn’t allow a run as the Giants blanked a split-squad Rangers club, 4-0.

With four more punchouts Wednesday, Stripling has struck out 16 batters in 18 Cactus League innings without issuing a walk.

“Very consistent today,” Kapler said of Stripling. “Used all his pitches, threw a ton of strikes, worked fast, stayed off barrels. Quality outing.”