Rocio Robles
This is the MLB’s outlook: with several teams securing their key pieces going forward, the Seattle Mariners did not want to be left behind and made a move to extend JP Crawford’s contract with the franchise for five more years and $51 million.
JP Crawford came to the Seattle Mariners from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019 in what was his third season in the MLB, and while his start with the franchise was not the best, he has evolved over the seasons, with his performance in 2021 being the best in his Major League career so far.
Mariners shortstop had the best season of his career in 2021 in terms of hits (169), runs batted in (54), batting average (.273), OBP (.338) and slugging (.376) while he continued to shine on defense, which has been one of his main virtues since his MLB debut. This fact undoubtedly played an important role in the decision by management to extend JP Crawford’s contract for the next few seasons.
This performance by JP Crawford, as well as that of other players on the roster, was key to the Mariners being one of the biggest surprises of the 2021 MLB season. The team fell five games out of the American League West Division lead and just two games short of a wildcard ticket to the playoffs. While it is not widely expected that the team will have a similar performance in this early season, it is evident that there is something good for Seattle to work on going forward.
JP Crawford and the Mariners’ future
It appears that the Mariners’ leadership is beginning to make the right moves for the franchise to succeed in the future. Crawford’s contract extension is just one of the many tasks the team has carried out this season, as players such as Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez also arrived from trading. Undoubtedly, the most important move was the addition of Robbie Ray, who arrived as a free agent after being crowned the American League Cy Young in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
It is expected that these new players, as well as the core of ballplayers from last season, will help the Mariners break their playoffs drought: their last appearance in fall baseball occurred in 2001 at the hands of such names as Ichiro Suzuki and Freddy Garcia.
While JP Crawford’s bat still has room for improvement, his good defense is really valued — he didn’t win a Gold Glove in 2020 for nothing — and he’ll want to show the Seattle franchise that they made the right move. Although $51 million is a lot of money for a guy with a below-average bat in the Major Leagues, his defense is outstanding, and he also plays a key position that allows offense to take a back seat.
The team may go far in the playoffs with the additions made in the offseason and through improvements, and JP Crawford’s bat will surely be crucial in achieving that goal.
