Crawford's Shoulder Status a Major Question Mark With Opening Day Less Than Two Weeks Away
The Seattle Mariners are sweating it out in spring training right now, and the biggest concern isn't some young prospect or a long reliever. It's shortstop J.P. Crawford's right shoulder, which has kept him out of five straight Cactus League games heading into Opening Day on March 26 against the Guardians at T-Mobile Park. Yeah, that's a problem.
Crawford was supposed to get back in the lineup on Tuesday, but instead he made a trip to Texas to see Dr. Keith Meister for a specialist consultation. Good news is that GM Justin Hollander said the level of concern isn't high after imaging came back clean. But here's the thing: with Opening Day just over a week away, the clock is ticking to get Crawford ready to start at short. If he's not ready, the Mariners need to figure out who steps in.
Young Talent Waiting in the Wings
This is where Colt Emerson comes into play. The organization's No. 1 prospect, ranked No. 9 overall by MLB Pipeline, has been getting real playing time this spring. Going into Tuesday's split-squad game against the Padres at Peoria Sports Complex, Emerson was batting .250 (9-for-36) with a triple, a home run, and seven RBIs. The 20-year-old was drafted 22nd overall by Seattle in 2023, and he's made noise in the minors, posting an .842 OPS across three levels last season and hitting 16 homers with 14 stolen bases in 130 games. In his first Triple-A stint late last season, he batted .364 (8-for-22) in six games with two home runs.
Manager Dan Wilson isn't ruling out Leo Rivas either, but he's being smart about it. "Until we hear what exactly the situation is with J.P., it's hard to kind of weigh those options," Wilson said. "We'll wait and see once we hear, and then we'll begin to decipher where we'll need to go."
What's clear is that Wilson is impressed with how Emerson has handled the pressure of being the top prospect. "He's gone out and played very good defense throughout the entire spring," Wilson said. "Had a little bit of a lull offensively, but of late, in the last three or four games, he's really swung the bat well."
Miller Working His Way Back
On the pitching side, Bryce Miller threw a full bullpen session of about 30 pitches on Tuesday without restrictions after his left oblique injury sidelined him. The 27-year-old righty, who had a 2.94 ERA in 31 starts in 2024, felt good afterward. He won't be ready for Opening Day, which means the fifth rotation spot is still up for grabs between right-handers Emerson Hancock and Cooper Criswell. Hancock has filled in before, starting on Opening Day last year and the year before that when injuries hit the rotation.
Wilson sounds optimistic about Miller's progression. "I think the bullpens now are to go as hard as he can," he said. "It's been going as planned."
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.