The Mariners have become the team Crawford envisioned when he signed an extension in 2022
DETROIT — Nearly seven years ago, the Seattle Mariners checked off a major box in its rebuild when it acquired its shortstop of the future, J.P. Crawford from the Philadelphia Phillies on Dec. 3, 2018.
The transaction was massive in what became a years-long roster overhaul for the franchise that was starving for the postseason, having last made one in 2001.
Over the course of three seasons from 2019-21, Crawford scored 165 runs in 306 games and hit 65 doubles, six triples and 18 home runs with 124 RBIs and slashed .256/.330/.368 with a .698 OPS. He won the Gold Glove award for his defensive efforts in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
In that three-year stretch, Crawford grew to have enough confidence in what he saw from the organization that he signed a five-year, $51 million contract in April 2022 during the league-wide players strike and lockout. The team went on to snap its 21-year playoff drought that year.
This year, the Mariners won the American League West for the first time since 2001. They entered Wednesday one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time since '01. Seattle beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Tuesday to take a 2-1 lead in an American League Divisional Series.
"(I signed) for this moment right here," Crawford said in a postgame news conference Tuesday. "We had a good foundation and I love the city. We have a house up there, we stay up there. I love everything about Seattle. And now looking at this part of it, this is great."
Crawford played a major role in getting the M's to this point. After an injury-plagued 2024 that saw him play 105 games and slash .202/.304/.321; Crawford bounced back in 2025. He scored 69 times across 157 games and hit 24 doubles and 12 homers with 58 RBIs and slashed .265/.352/.370 with a .722 OPS.
This postseason, the second of his career, Crawford has hit .333 (3-for-9) with two runs, a home run and two RBIs. His lone home run of the playoffs entering Wednesday was a solo shot in the top of the sixth inning Tuesday that bolstered the Mariners' lead to 5-1. He also hit an RBI sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Crawford's current contract extends through 2026. And before his deal runs its course, the seventh-year veteran and the longest-tenured player on the team (2019-present) will hope to add a World Series ring to his trophy case.
Seattle will first have to close out Detroit. The first opportunity for the M's to do so will be in Game 4 of the ALDS on Wednesday at 12:08 p.m. PT/3:08 p.m. ET at Comerica Park in Detroit.
"It feels great," Crawford said. "But we just have to focus on (Wednesday). It's a big game and can't have any distractions. We have to be all in (Wednesday)."
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