JP Crawford has been an integral part of the Mariners’ roster since joining the club in 2019. In over 3,800 plate appearances with Seattle, Crawford hit .248/.341/.369 with a 107 wRC+ while providing serviceable defense at shortstop, including 9 Defensive Runs Saved as recently as 2024. Colt Emerson he is Seattle’s shortstop of the future, and Crawford, in his final season in charge of the club, has committed to playing third base to accommodate Emerson.
Crawford’s willingness to play the hot spot will increase his value in free agency, and may help his chances of returning to the Mariners. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Crawford’s agent met with general manager Justin Hollander following Crawford’s request to try third base, echoing the latter’s desire to stay in Seattle. Hollander indicated that a Crawford reunion is “absolutely possible.” “Obviously we’ll talk about it after the season and see how it goes. But he wants to be here and there’s a place for him,” Hollander said of Crawford.
That comment comes as no surprise when the general manager is talking about a player who has long been popular and well-liked. That said, Crawford’s willingness to move positions and good clubhouse reputation make the third base test worth exploring before he hits free agency. Crawford’s career has been poor since the start of 2025, adding up to -9 DRS and -19 Outs Above Average. He has 174 2/3 innings of major league experience at third base, all of which came with the Phillies from 2017-18. To his credit, Crawford averaged 7 DRS and 3 OAAs in that sample.
Of course, that’s a small sample from the last eight years. Conversely, a look at Crawford’s Statcast page gives reason to be pessimistic. His distance is in the first percentile, while his 77.5 MPH arm strength in 2026 falls to just the 17th percentile. In terms of lateral movement, Crawford was eligible for -10 OAA starting in 2025 when he moved to third base. If you go to first base, that slightly increases to -4 OAA. Playing third base will lead to more forward moves, which could help bolster Crawford’s defense as he plays deep into his 30s.
Time will tell how Crawford holds up at the hot corner. Either way, the reunion could help the team’s offense and overall defense. Crawford posted a 114 wRC+ in 180 plate appearances this year. Despite a .204 batting average, he remains an effective hitter due to his ability to draw walks, doing so at least 11.3% of the time in every season through 2022. Brendan Donovan under the control of the club until 2027. Donovan only played third this year but also has experience at second and left. Keeping Crawford playing third will allow Donovan to be used as a utility player while ensuring there are plenty of at-bats for the duo and Emerson.
Turning to the pitching staff, the Mariners’ rotation has a problem Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Bryce Milleragain Emerson Hancock all work well. Although Miller had a 5.68 ERA last year and missed the first month and a half of 2026 with an oblique strain, he posted a 3.52 ERA with a strong 17.6% strikeout rate from 2023-24. Moving forward, Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of the Seattle Times determined that the Mariners’ best option going forward is Miller in the rotation again. Luis Castillo in the bullpen full time.
Castillo made his first appearance in relief on Tuesday, allowing two earned runs in 2 1/3 innings against the White Sox while striking out four. He has been a reliable starter since joining Seattle during the 2022 season, but unfortunately that was not the case in 2026. Castillo has a 6.34 ERA in 44 innings as a starter, and that’s not the result of a hit or two. He allowed four or more runs four separate times, and went six innings just once. Castillo has been unlucky, as evidenced by his .346 opponents’ average on balls in play, but he’s also getting ground balls at a career-low 35.2% rate.
Castillo’s four homers had a +11 career average last year, according to Statcast. Even though it didn’t work as much in 2026, the field still gets 1.8 inches of horizontal clearance above the league average. As a reliever, Castillo can use that movement by throwing four-seamers more often, without facing hitters too often. Then, if one of the starters goes down with an injury, Castillo could return to swing and return to his old pitch mix.
Photo courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images
