Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford forced from game after ‘weird little collision’
NEW YORK — The Mariners lost their defensive captain and leadoff hitter early in Tuesday’s game when J.P. Crawford was removed from the game following a ground out to first base in the top of third inning.
Utility infielder Dylan Moore jogged out to shortstop in the bottom of the third inning.
The team later announced that Crawford had left the game with a right-shoulder contusion.
But the injury didn’t come when Crawford was at the plate. It came early in the bottom of the second. Harrison Bader led off the inning with a single to right off starter George Kirby. An aggressive base runner, Bader stole second moments later. On the play, Cal Raleigh’s throw bounced into center field. Crawford, who was covering on the play, went to grab the ball and collided awkwardly with Bader.
“It’s kind of like a weird little collision and I just felt it right after,” Crawford said. “I could barely lift my arm up and I just thought I wasn’t gonna help my team after that because I probably couldn’t make a throw to first base.”
The collision didn’t seem violent. And Crawford couldn’t understand how it produced such pain.
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“I couldn’t even tell you,” he said. “I just ran after the ball. We collided and the next thing I know my shoulder is just throbbing.”
Crawford loathes coming out of games and is always willing to play through pain. But this was different.
“There are certain times where you know you really suck it up and try to stay in the game,” he said. “But you know when your body tells you otherwise sometimes, and that’s what sucks. I never want to come out of the freaking game. I want to be in there every day.”
He underwent X-rays after leaving the game and they can back clean.
“I’m probably going to get an MRI tomorrow,” he said. “We’ll see how it feels in the morning. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and what happens after that.”
Crawford was in noticeable discomfort just trying to get dressed postgame, using his left arm almost exclusively.
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If the Mariners had to make a roster move, they would likely call up Sam Haggerty or infielder Mason McCoy. McCoy is a more of a true shortstop, but he isn’t on the 40-man roster.
In a season when most players have started slowly and struggled at various points, Crawford has been one of the Mariners’ most consistent performers. Coming into Tuesday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium, he’d played in 67 of 70 games, posting a .242/.351/.352 slash line with 14 doubles, four homers, 39 runs scored, 24 RBI, 39 walks and 52 strikeouts. He’s also been one of the Mariners’ best producers with runners in scoring position, posting a .294/.410/.451 slash line with 15 hits in 62 plate appearances, including two doubles and two homers, with 20 RBI, 10 walks and only 12 strikeouts.
Crawford dealt with shoulder inflammation during spring training, keeping him out of a handful of Cactus League games.
No Judging
The Yankees were without Aaron Judge for the 13th straight game, which didn’t exactly hurt the feelings of manager Scott Servais or the Mariners. The reigning American League MVP was placed on the injured list on June 7 (retroactive to June 4) with a sprained toe.
Judge had four hits, including three homers and a double, scored five runs, drove in four runs and worked four walks in three games in Seattle earlier this season.
“When the other team doesn’t have their best player, it certainly is going to be different in how you plan,” Servais said. “Judge is a phenomenal player. He’s played really well against us. I wish him all the best as soon as we leave town. He was really good. Anytime you lose that kind of player out your lineup, it does change the look of your lineup and maybe how you’re going to attack them. But they’ve still got a lot of really good players with a lot of experience.”
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday’s series opener with the Mariners that the slugging right fielded had a second platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his right big toe last week.
Judge injured the toe while crashing into the outfield fence at Dodger Stadium trying to make a catch. The Yankees have lost eight of 13 games since he’s been out of the lineup, including five of six coming into Tuesday.
Also
Right-hander Trevor Gott (back spasms) traveled with Class AAA Tacoma to El Paso to start a rehab assignment. Gott said last week he wasn’t sure if he would make one or two appearances on the assignment. He is eligible to return from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday.
Source: The Seattle Times
