Mariners Haven’t Yet Discussed New Contract With J.P. Crawford

J.P. Crawford is in the final season of the four-year, $46.15MM extension he signed with the Mariners in April 2022, and is on the verge of becoming a free agent for the first time in his pro career. According to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, the M’s have “not made any overtures about re-signing” Crawford, so the veteran infielder might entering his last week in a Mariners uniform. Crawford has been a relative bright spot on a Seattle team whose offense (and performance in general) has been a big disappointment in 2026. Entering today’s action, Crawford was hitting .222/.338/.353 with 13 homers over 463 plate appearances, translating to a 107 wRC+. While not standout numbers, Crawford’s 107 wRC+ is the third-highest of any Mariners hitter with more than 165 PA, as only Randy Arozarena (151 wRC+) and Dominic Canzone (133) have done more at the plate. Crawford’s production has come amidst three stints on the injured list, as Crawford has been limited to 111 games (including today) due to a right hand contusion, and inflammation in his right shoulder and left wrist. The 2026 campaign also saw Crawford make a position change, as the longtime shortstop logged 30 games at third base in his first taste of the hot corner since 2018. However, Crawford ended up playing a lot less third base than expected, since Colt Emerson missed a lot of time due to a wrist injury that eventually required a season-ending surgery. Since Emerson was signed to an eight-year, $95MM contract before even making his MLB debut, he is clearly still earmarked as Seattle’s shortstop of the future. Crawford was happy to shift over to third base to accommodate Emerson’s arrival, but it remains to be seen where Crawford might fit into the infield picture going forward. On paper, the Mariners’ 2027 infield lines up as Josh Naylor at first base, Cole Young at second base, Emerson at shortstop, and Brendan Donovan getting at least part-time work at third base. Top prospect Michael Arroyo made his big league debut this season and could also be in the second base mix, when Arroyo isn’t being used in left field or at DH. Another notable shortstop prospect might be in the majors by 2028 or even by the end of 2027, if Felnin Celestin can get his bat going after a slow start to his Double-A career. Jude writes that “the M’s will need to bolster their lineup with at least one proven right-handed hitter, and it’s likely they’ll want to bring in a veteran shortstop to help shore up one of baseball’s worst defenses.” Crawford isn’t a fit in this sense since he’s a lefty bat, plus Emerson, Young, and Donovan all also swing from the left side. As a shortstop, Crawford has received poor grades from the public metrics in four of the last five seasons, including -10 Defensive Runs Saved and -11 Outs Above Average in 677 innings at the position this year. As a third baseman, Crawford has at least been passable, with 0 DRS and -1 OAA in 246 1/3 innings played in 2026. It should be noted that there’s still plenty of time for the Mariners to engage Crawford’s reps at THE*TEAM about a new deal, as free agency doesn’t open until five days after the end of the World Series. Most players prefer to not discuss extensions during a season, and most players this close to free agency generally prefer to test the market. From the Mariners’ perspective, it makes sense that they also would’ve wanted to see what they had in Emerson or Young before locking up Crawford to another contract. Crawford turns 32 in January, and has posted a 110 wRC+ in his last six seasons (with his big 2023 and underwhelming 2024 as the outliers). Between his age, steady but unspectacular offense, and his limited value on defense, Crawford has the profile of a veteran player who might get squeezed by the market to the point that he may have difficulty finding a multi-year deal. Speculatively, teams might be more interested in Crawford if he also offers to play second base, and pitches himself as more of a multi-positional infielder than an everyday answer at a particular position. If Crawford projects as the type of free agent who might not necessarily be any team’s first choice for an infield upgrade, he probably won’t sign his next deal before December 1, when the league is expected to institute a lockout once the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. Some middle-tier types of free agents could therefore be more open to relative lowball offers prior to the lockout, simply to avoid months of uncertainty and then getting left without a chair in the signing frenzy that will come whenever the transactions freeze ends. Whether that opens a door for a reunion with the Mariners remains to be seen. The team’s fondness for Crawford as a clubhouse leader may not outweigh their need for a right-handed infielder, plus Crawford may prefer to start a new chapter on a club that could offer him regular playing time.