SAN FRANCISCO — Edgar Renteria is back in the National League, where he thinks he belongs.

Renteria became the second free agent to join the San Francisco Giants in two days, receiving an $18.5 million, two-year contract Thursday to replace 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel.

A five-time NL All-Star, Renteria has spent 11 of his 13 major league seasons in the National League. He won a World Series ring with the 1997 Florida Marlins and a pennant in 2004 with St. Louis, but struggled during a pair of one-season stints in the AL, with Boston in 2005 and Detroit this year.

Giants general manager Brian Sabean has had a busy week, signing right-handed reliever Bobby Howry to a one-year contract Wednesday and following that up by securing Renteria.