Mariners' J.P. Crawford continues prep for potential move to third base | Notebook

WASHINGTON - J.P. Crawford said it best and said it succinctly Sunday morning.

"Reinforcements are on the way," the Mariners' veteran shortstop said.

Crawford (right hand contusion) said he expects to be activated from the injured list Tuesday, the same day star catcher Cal Raleigh is expected to return after a monthlong recovery from a right oblique strain.

All-Star left fielder Randy Arozarena (hamstring), out of the lineup for the final two games against the Nationals, said he should also be back early this week. That's a third of the Mariners' opening-day lineup potentially returning for the start of a six-game homestand Tuesday.

Where Crawford ends up playing during the homestand remains an open question.

Crawford has taken pregame ground balls exclusively at third base the past three days at Nationals Park, with 20-year-old rookie sensation Colt Emerson at shortstop.

As is their typical pregame routine, Mariners infielders completed their infield work and gathered near the pitcher's mound for a round of handshakes and fist bumps.

From there, they all headed back inside to the clubhouse for final preparations an hour or so before first pitch.

The past two days, there was one exception.

Crawford remained on the diamond with infield coach Perry Hill and headed back to third base for additional reps at his (potential) new position.

Hill stood nearby and offered feedback on Crawford's footwork and fielding angles.

The longest-tenured shortstop in Mariners history, and a Gold Glove-winning shortstop in 2020, Crawford last month approached manager Dan Wilson and volunteered to move over to third base to accommodate Emerson, if that's what the team deemed best.

Crawford reiterated Sunday he's still open to that idea.

"I don't know what the plan is, but I already said I was willing to do that," Crawford said. "I feel great over there (at third). The kid's been great over there (at short), so we'll see where it goes."

In the same way Dee Strange-Gordon and Kyle Seager helped him, Crawford has taken his role as a veteran mentor, working closely with an up-and-coming crop of infielders such as Emerson, Cole Young and Ryan Bliss.

On Sunday morning, Crawford pulled up a chair between Emerson and Bliss in the visitors' clubhouse and chatted casually with them for more than a half-hour.

The Mariners locked in Emerson as their shortstop of the future in late March when they gave him a $95 million contract extension through 2033 (with an option for 2034).

At the time, club president Jerry Dipoto was adamant that this was Crawford's team, that the club wasn't trying to nudge the veteran off shortstop. In many ways, Crawford is the heartbeat of this Mariners clubhouse.

But he also recognizes the five-tool talent in Emerson, who hit his sixth home run in his 22nd game with the Mariners on Saturday and continues to flash above-average defensive traits.

"I think he's finally starting to get comfortable. It's a big life adjustment, period," Crawford said of Emerson. "You can see he's starting to settle in and starting to see what (he's) capable of doing every day, and it's pretty cool to see."

The five-year, $51 million extension Crawford signed with the Mariners in 2022 expires after this season. He will be a free agent this winter, and he's said he wants to finish his career with the Mariners.

Crawford has been one of the Mariners' most productive offensive players this season, posting a .356 on-base percentage with 10 homers and a 125 wRC+ that ranks No. 5 among all MLB shortstops.

He landed on the injured list after being hit in the right hand by a 96-mph fastball from Detroit's Framber Valdez on the first game of this 10-day East Coast trip. It's the same spot on the same hand where he had a fractured bone after being hit by a pitch in 2024.

Crawford wasn't able to grip a bat until this weekend, but he said Sunday that it finally feels normal and that he's ready to be activated when eligible Tuesday.

Raleigh belts two more homers

It's safe to say Raleigh has rediscovered his home-run swing.

Raleigh belted two more home runs Saturday night in a Triple-A rehab game in Tacoma, giving him five homers in three games with the Rainiers.

His first homer Saturday was a 445-foot blast swinging from the right side. He added another homer in the fourth inning from the left side.

Just as notable, Raleigh caught all nine innings Saturday, the first time he's done so since landing on the injured list May 14. That would appear to be the final step in his recovery.

Mariners coaches and officials are expected to make a final decision Monday on Raleigh's progress, with all signs pointing to his return to the Mariners lineup Tuesday.

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