J.P. Crawford Just Took a 96 MPH Missile, and Mariners Fans Are Holding Their Breath This Early Season

Holy smokes, Emerald City, can we get a break out here? It was a rough night for our beloved Mariners, dropping a 7-3 decision to the Tigers. But honestly, the score isn't even the biggest gut punch. The real worry, the thing that makes your stomach drop like a salmon falling out of a fisherman's net, is what happened to J.P. Crawford. Our guy, our shortstop, got absolutely drilled in the hand by a 96 MPH fastball. You hear that speed and you just know it's gonna sting.

Bryan Woo Battled, But the Batting Order Needs to Wake Up

Look, the M's were in Detroit and Bryan Woo, bless his heart, put in a shift. He went 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on nine hits. Not his best outing, no doubt, but the offense just couldn't bail him out. Colt Emerson did manage to crack a solo homer, which was a bright spot, but it wasn't enough to spark a full comeback. The Tigers' bats, meanwhile, were just feeling it, with Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson both hitting two-run dingers. Framber Valdez for Detroit gave up just one run and five hits over five innings. We need more than just one home run to get back in these games, especially when our pitching isn't absolutely lights out.

But back to Crawford. This is the real kicker. Getting hit by a pitch like that is terrifying. Mariners manager Dan Wilson confirmed after the game that X-rays on J.P.'s hand thankfully came back negative. Negative! Can we get a collective sigh of relief? He's listed as day-to-day, which is way better than the alternative, but still, a hand injury for a shortstop? That's not ideal for anyone, especially this early in the season when you're trying to build momentum. We're talking about a guy who makes plays all over the field, whose bat we count on. We'll be watching that situation like a hawk.

Around the League: Homers Fly and Dodgers Walk It Off

Elsewhere in MLB, there was some wild stuff going down. The San Francisco Giants went absolutely bonkers against the Cubs, crushing seven homers, including a grand slam and another three-run shot from Matt Chapman, en route to an 18-3 demolition. They hadn't hit that many dingers in a game since April 2023. Talk about an offensive explosion. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Freddie Freeman crushed a game-ending 404-foot homer in the ninth off a 3-2 fastball, pushing the Dodgers past the Angels 1-0. Roki Sasaki was a beast on the mound for the Dodgers, tying his career-high with seven innings pitched and striking out 10. And get this: the Washington Nationals are leading the majors with 345 runs already this season, proving their offense is no joke after they blasted the Diamondbacks 14-1, with Luis Garcia Jr. hitting two homers and driving in a career-high six runs.

So, what now for our Mariners? We've got to regroup. We need J.P. back in the lineup, healthy and swinging. This early season is all about finding our rhythm, and moments like Crawford's injury can definitely throw a wrench in that. Let's hope "day-to-day" means "back tomorrow" and not "longer than we think." We need to bounce back hard, Emerald City, because this team has got to show us what they're truly made of.

DFS Pick'em

🏆 Underdog Fantasy: Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Entries

Use code ONTAP to lock in this offer.

👉 Claim your $50 bonus on Underdog Fantasy

Sponsored. Must be 18+. Terms apply.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.