Aside from the first two starts of his major-league career, Justin Verlander has worn the No. 35 every time he’s stepped on a big-league mound over nearly two decades. With that number on his back, Verlander has earned an MVP, three Cy Young Awards, Rookie of the Year, nine All-Star selections and two World Series titles. With that number on his back, Verlander has become a future Hall of Famer.
But in San Francisco, the No. 35 is already synonymous with a franchise icon: Brandon Crawford. So, which number will Verlander don in his first season as a Giant?
“I’m still putting a lot of thought into this,” Verlander said.
Verlander, who’s set to enter his 20th season, has the benefit of knowing the number is already his if he wants it. The right-hander shared that president of baseball operations Buster Posey already reached out to Crawford, who gave his blessing for Verlander to wear the number. That said, Verlander still wants to personally reach out to the recently-retired Crawford to discuss the matter.
“How do the fans feel about this? Does anybody have a feel on that?” Verlander asked. “I don’t want to come in on a bad foot. I would love the opportunity to wear my number for the San Francisco Giants. I understand the magnitude of the franchise. They’re one of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball, so to get to wear your number for that franchise is pretty cool.
“At the same time, if there’s another player who’s come along and done something special — this is an interesting question and I really don’t have the answer yet. I’m hopeful that when I speak with Brandon, I’ll get a little more clarity. It’s different hearing it from Buster and him saying, ‘Hey, I spoke to Brandon, he gave his okay.’ I just want to talk with him person-to-person and really try to get a feel for it and I can pivot one way or the other.”
Under most circumstances, a player with Verlander’s resumé would have no problem assuming their desired number. Crawford, though, is one of the greatest shortstops in franchise history and unquestionably the greatest shortstop in San Francisco Giants history.
During Crawford’s 13 seasons in San Francisco, the Pleasanton native helped lead the Giants to two World Series titles while earning a Silver Slugger Award, three All-Star selections and four Gold Glove Award and became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played by a shortstop (1,617). On April 26, the Giants will honor Crawford as they host Bruce Bochy’s Texas Rangers.
The only other number that Verlander has worn in his major-league career is No. 59, which he rocked in 2005 when making his first two starts in the big leagues.
