SEATTLE -- J.P. Crawford was a late scratch to the Mariners’ lineup before Wednesday’s matinee, but that didn’t stop him from going through early work with infield coach Perry Hill.
And at a new position.
Crawford took grounders -- exclusively at third base -- before Seattle’s 5-4 win over the White Sox, but did not make any throws due to the sore right triceps that still lingered after taking a hit-by-pitch in the area on consecutive days recently.
Colt Emerson, who was initially listed as Seattle’s third baseman but shifted to shortstop after Crawford was scratched from the leadoff spot, was next to him during the early work.
And perhaps it’s a sign of things to come.
“I want to be a Mariner for life, and I think that's the best way to do it,” said Crawford, whose five-year, $51 million contract expires at season’s end. “And just always being open to helping the team win.”
This is a significant development, given that Crawford is the Mariners’ longest-tenured player and has exclusively played shortstop (other than designated hitter) since making his club debut in 2019. He’s played there more than any other player at the premium position in franchise history, passing Alex Rodriguez last season, as he’s now at 895 games.
And this tryout at the hot corner was all his idea.
“Not many players in his position would be willing to do this,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said. “He loves the Mariners and he wants to do anything to win a World Series here.”
Crawford approached manager Dan Wilson over the weekend about trying third base if it would help the team, in the wake of the club on Sunday calling up Emerson, their No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall.
Crawford’s agent then reached out to Hollander to double down as an even more formal expression of Crawford’s willingness.
“It's been on my mind, not for a while, but I mean, I've been thinking about it,” Crawford said. “Me and my agent talked about it. I had a good conversation, and I'm seeing a lot more positive thoughts about it. So why not give it a try?”
To be clear, this is very much in beta -- exclusively limited to pregame work for now.
But it could help the Mariners optimize a better infield defense, as Emerson has the superior glove and has long been viewed as Crawford’s heir apparent. That became even more clear after Emerson signed an eight-year, $95 million contract on March 31.
At first, there was natural speculation to how Crawford would absorb that news. But he quickly quashed it by showing support for the 20-year-old, which he reiterated on Wednesday.
"I just want to be there for him,” Crawford said. “We're on the same team. We all have the same goal, and that's to win a World Series. And the sooner you can get comfy here, the better."
Emerson is the latest young infielder that Crawford has brought under his wing. He did so with Cole Young last Spring Training, inviting him for ride-alongs to Cactus League games. And even more moving, he officiated Ryan Bliss’ wedding last offseason.
These efforts tie back to the mentors who did the same for him when he first arrived in Seattle at the outset of the club’s rebuild.
“It means everything,” Crawford said. “When I came up, I really didn't have anyone to show me the ropes until I got over here, and Dee Gordon and Kyle Seager took me under their wing. And I made a promise to myself that I would be like them.”
As for third base, the first order will be to get Crawford’s arm in a pain-free spot to make the longer throws necessary, as well as getting acclimated to batted-ball behaviors in quicker bursts. His triceps contusion is a day-to-day situation, and he was optimistic about returning to shortstop on Friday in Kansas City.
He does have experience at third, but only 26 games way back in 2017-18 when he was with the Phillies. His previous try at third was under much different constraints, as the Phillies were pushing for defensive versatility and Crawford was still trying to find himself as a 22-year-old and one of Pipeline’s top five overall prospects. And his time in Philadelphia obviously didn’t end well.
No, this situation is about a 31-year-old with extreme loyalty to his clubhouse wanting to do whatever it takes in what could be his final season here.
“The goal here is to win a World Series and stay here as long as I can,” Crawford said, “and that's the only two things on my mind.”