Brandon Crawford was the fourth most valuable player in the National League during the 2021 season.
Crawford, who recorded career highs in average (.298), OPS (.895), home runs (24), runs batted in (9) and stolen bases (11), placed fourth in NL Most Valuable Player voting. He received four first-place votes from Baseball Writers Association of America members, two more than San Diego’s Fernando Tatís Jr., who placed third overall.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper won the regular season award for the second time in his career. Washington’s Juan Soto finished second.
Crawford finished with 213 points, 31 shy of Tatís. The three-time All-Star had never finished higher than 12th in MVP voting.
Throughout the season, Crawford’s teammates caped for his MVP case. It was a compelling one, for sure: Crawford was the best player on the winningest regular season team in franchise history.
After being used partly as a platoon player in 2020 as his performance at the plate dipped, Crawford made major tweaks to his swing in the offseason. They led to his most productive season and earned him a two-year contract extension at age 34.
He also provided elite defense, placing sixth among shortstops in Fangraphs’ fielding runs above average. He regularly made breathtaking plays appear routine and formed a seemingly automatic double play tandem with both Tommy La Stella and Donovan Solano. MLB recognized Crawford’s fielding by awarding him his fourth career Gold Glove.
Despite not winning the MVP award, Crawford’s contributions were undeniable. Crawford finished ninth in the National League 16th overall in Fangraphs’ WAR — a tool that measures a player’s overall impact. His production directly linked to the winningest regular season in Giants franchise history.
Buster Posey, Kevin Gausman and — most surprisingly — LaMonte Wade Jr. each received a single 10th place vote.
