For the final two games of the three-game series against the Chicago White Sox, top prospect Colt Emerson was penciled in as the Seattle Mariners starting shortstop.

Why is that significant? Because that's the position that J.P. Crawford has almost universally held since arriving in Seattle ahead of the 2019 campaign. 

The overwhelming thought has been that Emerson will play third base this season and transition to the team's shortstop next season when Crawford is gone in free agency.

However, things could be changing earlier than that, as Crawford recently approached the team and expressed his willingness to play third base while allowing Emerson to play shortstop, a move he hopes will help him prolong his career in Seattle.

"Just came up as a thought in my head," Crawford said in a postgame interview Wednesday. "I want to be a Mariner for life and I think that's the best way to do it and always being open to helping the team win."

Depending on how cynical you are, there are multiple ways to take Crawford's position, so let's just examine the possibilities.

Crawford is the longest-tenured member of the Mariners roster and he wants to win a World Series more than anybody in the clubhouse. He recognizes at this point that Emerson is better than him defensively, but that he can still contribute, and he's willing to make the move to help the team.

Brendan Donovan is out, so there's room at third base for this switch to take place.

Everything above still stands, but Crawford also really does want to stay in Seattle next year. If he's able to show off his versatility and emphasize his clubhouse value, that only helps him do that. 

Crawford is a free agent at the end of the season, so his agency recognizes the best way to help him in free agency is to get out in front of this situation and show off his versatility. Plus, he comes out looking really good and like a really good teammate, which only helps.

We spoke with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on the latest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast, and he said the following:

"I think you should give him a golf clap, because it's not every day that you see something like this. That you see a veteran player go to a team and say, “Hey, I’ll do whatever you want to do.”

I’ll give you a different example in another organization: Paul Goldschmidt re-signs with the New York Yankees this year despite the fact he probably could have had a more regular role with another team, but he liked being on the Yankees in 2025.

He came back. He’s basically serving as a mentor for Ben Rice and how to play first base, and he’s performing at a high level. And you can’t help but admire that because I’ve heard a myriad of stories through my time covering baseball of veteran players who were difficult about where they were in the lineup.

Derek Jeter, it was notable at the end of his career, that there were times when the Yankees would have liked to have dropped him down the lineup and maybe get him off shortstop. He was not amenable to that.

Sparky Anderson once said there’s nothing more difficult for a manager than an aging star. And JP Crawford has been a star, and he is getting older, and he’s probably watching Colt Emerson take ground balls and seeing him play and realizing, “You know what? This guy might be a better player than me right now.”

And so, I think you applaud JP Crawford for taking these steps. And does it potentially lengthen his time with the Mariners? Maybe gives him a better chance to get a deal for 2027? Perhaps.

But in the end, I respect the fact for the guy willing to cede ground to a younger player who’s going to be their shortstop for a lot of years to come."

Crawford first took groundballs at third base on Wednesday, so this idea is in its infancy, but it's something to think about as we move through the rest of the summer.

You can listen to the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast here, and you can watch in YouTube below.

The Mariners will take on the Kansas City Royals on Friday afternoon at 4:40 p.m. PT.

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