Justin Crawford helps the Philadelphia Phillies to an Opening Day win in his MLB debut.
Justin Crawford grew up in a big league locker room and on an MLB field while watching his dad play professional baseball. On Thursday, the roles were reversed with Justin’s dad, Carl Crawford, watching his son make his MLB debut from the stands.
It was a memorable debut at that, with Crawford collecting a pair of hits and helping the Philadelphia Phillies win their Opening Day matchup against the Texas Rangers, 5-3.
“I think he was more nervous than I was,” said Crawford about his dad.
Thankfully, Justin was able to cool his dad’s nerves early on in the game as he came up to the plate in the second inning and notched his first career hit in his first at-bat.
Mar 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) hits a single during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCrawford took a ball right back up the middle from Nathan Eovaldi, which rolled into center field for a base hit.
“I was just looking for someone to put a good swing on,” explained Crawford after the game. “I wasn't trying to wait around, so I was just trying to put this swing on something, and thankfully, I was able to find a hole.
Later, in the fifth inning, Crawford hit another ball through the infield to get on base for the second time in the game.
This turned out to be a pretty important moment in the contest. Crawford getting on base helped set up Alec Bohm’s three-run home run, which extended Philly’s lead to five runs at the time, which ended up being the difference maker in the game.
The 22-year-old has put the work in and deserves this moment, Crawford said his goal heading into his debut was to “take it as much as just another baseball game. Doing everything I did, like in spring training, prepping-wise, and just doing everything I can control to be ready to play.”
Still, Crawford admitted that he had a few butterflies leading up to the first pitch.
Crawford is officially a big leaguer, something he’s been waiting to be for a long time, and even in one game, he’s showing why he could be a key piece to a successful Phillies season.
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