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 series finale vs. 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.
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’s agent then reached out to Hollander to double down as an even more formal expression of Crawford’s willingness.
“J.P., like we've talked about, is a selfless player, and he'll go wherever anybody needs him to go,” Wilson said. “And so, again, just like I said, it's a chance to take a look at things over there and look at a different spot.”
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 shown all the makings of being able to stick there long term. He’s long been viewed as Crawford’s heir apparent, and that became even more clear after Emerson signed an eight-year, $95 million contract on March 31.
The first order of business will be to get Crawford’s arm in a pain-free spot to make the longer throws necessary at third base, as well as get acclimated to batted-ball behaviors in quicker bursts. His triceps contusion is a day-to-day situation. 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 there 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, with free agency looming this offseason.
“I have one goal, and that's to win a World Series with this team,” Crawford said in the immediate aftermath of Emerson’s extension. “That's the only thing that's on my mind right now.”