Has J.P. Crawford made the case for a Mariners return in ’27?

After three separate stints on the injured list this season, Seattle Mariners infielder J.P. Crawford has started to find his swing in September.

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While the team has plodded towards the end of a disappointing season, its longtime shortstop has been putting together one of his better months offensively in a Mariners uniform.

Entering Friday, Crawford was slashing .309/.426/.436 with two homers, a double and more walks (10) than strikeouts (six) over 15 games in September. Among American League players, he had the seventh-best on-base percentage and 19th-best wRC+ (154) over that stretch.

Crawford’s strong month is happening just as he’s about to hit free agency. Has he showed something this month that warrants the Mariners re-signing him? And if he has, is there a role for him on the 2027 Mariners? Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob pondered those questions.

“That’s not who he is month in, month out,” co-host Bob Stelton said. “He’s dealt with injuries, he’s getting older, he doesn’t have the range that he used to have. But he is that guy that always gave you good at-bats in terms of seeing pitches. It’s a rarity you’d see that guy swing at the first pitch and pop up, and he’s seeing five, six, seven, eight pitches – it just feels like – every at-bat.”

“If he comes back, I don’t think you’re breaking the bank for him,” Stelton added. “This wouldn’t be anything I think you could chalk up to a major move, but is he a guy you look at and say, ‘I think he’s got a role on this team?’ And if so, where would it be?”

Co-host Dave Wyman mentioned the possibility of Crawford coming back as a fifth infielder to back up an infield that would consist of Josh Naylor at first, Cole Young at second, Colt Emerson at shortstop and Brendan Donovan at third.

Crawford, who has expressed that he wants to retire as a Mariner, has been an integral member of the team from a leadership standpoint over the past few seasons. That’s a plus for him in Wyman’s book.

“J.P.’s such a great teammate and we’re always raving about and we hear story after story about the leadership from him and how much he means to that clubhouse,” Wyman said. “It just depends on how much does he want to make and do you have a pretty clear vision of how you’re going to work him in.”

However, Stelton believes Seattle should be look to acquire a new third baseman over the offseason, which would make Donovan that fifth infielder in a utility role.

“I’d just love to see somebody who’s a natural third baseman with some pop, and that’s not Donovan,” Stelton said. “… He can play infield and he can play outfield. That’s how I would use him. I would go out and get that third baseman that’s got some pop if there’s one available (or) if there’s one they can target that can be a boost to the lineup and field that position naturally.

“That sort of eliminates J.P. Crawford because I really don’t know what you would do with him.”

There is one way Stelton could see Crawford fitting the roster next year, but he doesn’t think it’s a likely scenario.

“It doesn’t feel like that’s a possibility right now unless for whatever reason they look at it and go, look, we feel like Colt Emerson should start in the minors, he needs more time after this wrist surgery before he’s ready to be the everyday guy. So, J.P.’s going to be the bridge or something,” Stelton said. “I’m just throwing that out there as a hypothetical. But I would assume committing the amount of money they did to Colt Emerson, their expectation is he’s going to be their starter next year.”

Her the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-7 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

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