J.P. Crawford is our shortstop… again… for now.
The Mariners activated Crawford from the injured list on Thursday. He will join the team in Anaheim as they begin their first road tip of 2026. Crawford missed the first week of the season with right shoulder inflammation, which bugged him throughout Spring Training.
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It’s a precarious time for Crawford. The Mariners on Tuesday announced a record-breaking extension for shortstop prospect Colt Emerson. Jerry Dipoto said the team is in “no rush” to debut Emerson in the majors, but as Kate Preusser points out, his talent may be forcing the team’s hand. Emerson is clearly the Mariners’ long-term plan at shortstop, leaving Crawford somewhat in the way.
Crawford, 31, is the longest-tenured Mariner, having arrived in 2019. He’s had an eventful career, first appearing as an all-glove-no-bat shortstop before a swing change in 2023 made him one of the best players in the league. He battled injuries and poor luck in 2024 but turned it around in 2025, although inconsistency at the plate limited his season overall. Crawford in 2025 posted four months with a 115 wRC+ or better, and he posted two months with a wRC+ less than 100. This all worked out to a 113 wRC+, which ranked 10th among qualified shortstops.
The Mariners might be willing to accept that up-and-down performance, but Crawford struggles in every other aspect of the game. His -9 Fielding Run Value last year ranked second worst among shortstops, as part of a years-long slide in the field. He doesn’t have good range anymore, and he doesn’t have the arm strength to make up for it. He also struggles on the bases, as one of the slowest shortstops in the league. When he hits, as he did for two-thirds of 2025, he’s a more than solid option at a premium position. When he slumps, he’s a replacement level player.
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And the Mariners now have their replacement. Exactly when and why they’ll make the call on Emerson is unclear, and it’s possible they slot him into the lineup at another position with Crawford still at short. It’s also possible Emerson struggles upon his debut, and I doubt the team would forgo contingency before giving him the full-time job. But the Mariners are in win-now mode, and they aren’t likely to give Crawford 600 plate appearances for the sake of loyalty if he’s struggling. For the first time as a Mariner, Crawford is no longer the future at shortstop, and he’ll have to earn his playing time to stick around.
While he may no longer be the future of the Mariners, it’s worth noting he is still very much the past. Crawford needs just 16 more games to pass Jose Lopez for 10th most games played by a batter in team history. With 610 plate appearances, he’ll pass Raul Ibanez for ninth. With 2.8 WAR, he’ll pass Bret Boone and Mike Cameron for 11th, and with 3.6 WAR he’ll pass Robinson Canó for 10th. Crawford is surely one of the best players in the history of the franchise, and it would nice to see him, at the very least, hang on to be commemorated at the Mariners 50th Season Spectacular in August.
The Mariners in a corresponding move Thursday optioned infielder Ryan Bliss to Tacoma. Bliss got two plate appearances as a pinch hitter on Saturday and struck out in both of them. He spent most of last year on the injured list after tearing his biceps while swinging. Bliss remains interesting org depth and has demonstrated the ability to draw walks and put the ball in play in the minors. He will likely find his way back to the majors at some point this season, although there’s no clear path to playing time around the infield at the moment. He has four in-season options remaining, according to Darren Gossler’s payroll tracker.
Leo Rivas remains on the team as the backup infielder. Rivas has a tremendous eye, or at least a historically low swing rate, allowing him to draw walks and get on base. He’s a passable bench bat, and as a switch hitter, the only Mariners’ infielder capable of standing in the righty batter’s box. This handedness dilemma is another branch in the team’s shortstop log jam, potentially delaying Emerson’s debut and threatening Crawford’s use as a role player.
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The Mariners also placed reliever Ryan Loutos on unconditional release waivers. Loutos was designated for assignment Monday, removing him from the Mariners’ 40-man roster. Every team will get a chance to claim Loutos. If he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent.
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