Crawford taking in 12th and 'special' Opening Day 

This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado’s Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here_. And_ subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Brandon Crawford will join exclusive company when he jogs out to the field and takes his familiar spot at shortstop for Thursday afternoon’s regular-season opener at Yankee Stadium.

The 36-year-old veteran is poised to make his 12th consecutive Opening Day start for the Giants, tying left fielder Barry Bonds for the second-longest streak in the club’s San Francisco era. Only center fielder Willie Mays (15) has started more consecutive openers for the Giants since the franchise moved west in 1958.

Crawford has been a fixture on the Giants’ infield since debuting with his hometown team in 2011, but he said this opener could be extra meaningful since he’s entering the final season of the two-year, $32 million extension he signed in 2021.

“They’re all special in different ways,” Crawford said. “Going into the last year of a contract, you never know what’s going to happen afterwards. In that way, I guess this one is a little bit different. I guess it’s similar to '21, in that sense.”

The Giants rewarded Crawford with a new deal after he delivered a career-best season in '21, but his production dipped last year, when he struggled to overcome a nagging left knee injury that led to two trips to the injured list. Crawford’s knee flared up again this spring, sidelining him for nearly two weeks of Cactus League action, but he’s hoping the issue won’t require too much maintenance during the regular season.

The Giants will likely still try to find ways to manage Crawford’s workload to give him the best chance at staying healthy and rebounding in 2023. Second baseman Thairo Estrada will serve as Crawford’s primary backup, but San Francisco tried to create additional layers of depth by acquiring Brett Wisely from the Rays and giving third base prospect Casey Schmitt consistent looks at shortstop this spring.

For now, Crawford is expected to extend his dream run at shortstop, where he’s made a franchise-record 1,525 appearances for the Giants. His 13th big league season will begin with a matchup against his brother-in-law, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, heightening the potential for Opening Day theatrics in the Bronx.

Crawford is 6-for-20 (.300) lifetime against Cole and homered during one of their most recent encounters at Minute Maid Park in 2018, but he said he doesn’t particularly enjoy facing the All-Star right-hander.

“Not really,” Crawford said. “He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball. It’s not like it’s a fun at-bat. Once you step in the box, it’s just another really good pitcher that you’re facing.

“We don’t really talk about our matchups a whole lot off the field because he’s gotten me plenty of times, too. Mostly in Pittsburgh.”