Hanson is manning short very much like Crawford
Brandon Crawford missed the series against the Mets because of a sore left knee. Alen Hanson replaced Crawford at shortstop for all three games. On Sunday, Alen Hanson looked just like … Brandon Crawford.
Hanson ranged to his right. He ranged to his left. He made long throws. He made off-balance throws. He probably made the Mets’ Michael Conforto angry after twice robbing him with excellent stops on hard-hit balls.
After the game, Hanson was asked how he would respond if someone said he resembled Crawford, a three-time Gold Glove winner.
“You’d be saying the truth. It’s part of the work that I’ve put in,” Hanson said through interpreter Erwin Higueros.
The Giants signed Hanson, 25, as a free agent in January. He made brief appearances with the Pirates in 2016 and ’17. He also played 69 games for the White Sox last season.
For San Francisco, Hanson has started 29 games at second base, 14 in left field, 10 at short, and five at third.
“He gets moved around a lot,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s not like he can focus on one position. That shows you how athletic the kid is.”
Hanson wasn’t the only contributor to the Giants’ defensive highlight reel. Brandon Belt saved Hanson a few times with nice scoops at first. Center fielder Gregor Blanco ranged far into right-center to make a backhanded, diving grab of a drive off the bat of former Giants center fielder Austin Jackson. Right fielder Austin Slater took away a hit from Tomas Nido with a sliding catch.
Given the Giants’ offensive woes, their defense Sunday gave Bochy some solace.
“When you don’t hit, you look flat,” he said. “You don’t look like you have a lot of energy out there, but … we played hard.” Briefly: Belt stole second base in the seventh inning, extending the Giants’ streak of successful stolen-base attempts to 13. … Rookie Chris Shaw went 0for-3 with two strikeouts. In three games, he’s hitless in six at-bats with five K’s. He did hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in Friday’s 7-0 win. … Before Sunday’s game, the Giants recalled infielder Kelby Tomlinson from Triple-A Sacramento. … Bochy said outfielder Steven Duggar will have surgery on his torn left labrum Tuesday.