Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford’s resurgent seasons didn’t go unnoticed by their peers.
Posey and Crawford are among three finalists for the Players Choice Awards National League Comeback Player of the Year. They, along with Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto, were voted by players as the three finalists for the distinction.
Crawford’s decline was so steep that the Giants used him in a platoon role in 2020. But he made major adjustments to his swing and as the MLB’s oldest everyday shortstop, he hit .298 and will get real MVP consideration.
Crawford was also magnificent at shortstop, consistently making highlight reel plays. The 34-year-old recorded six defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs, his highest mark since 2017.
Posey, also 34, returned after taking 2020 off. The catcher played 113 regular season games, slashing .304/.340/.499. In the NLDS, Posey went 6-for-20 and nearly hit an opposite field home run into McCovey Cove.
Crawford signed a two-year contract extension in August that will keep him in San Francisco. Posey, meanwhile, hasn’t publicly decided on his future but has a $22 million club option.
The Players Choice Awards will be announced next Thursday, Oct. 28, on SportsCenter. They’re different than the traditional awards that are voted on by beat writers, who turned in their ballots already.