J.P. Crawford resumed baseball activity at Camden Yards Thursday, taking groundballs and appearing with a bat earlier than he could two days ago. Backdated to an injured-list placement that followed Framber Valdez’s hit-by-pitch, Crawford is eligible to be act
A road series that mattered kept getting more complicated for the Seattle Mariners—until Thursday brought a small but meaningful shift in the injury clock.
J.P. Crawford took groundballs at Camden Yards. resuming baseball activity for the first time since a hit-by-pitch caused a right hand contusion and sent him to the injured list. The session carried weight for a club that sits first at 36-33 and holds a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the American League West.
Crawford’s progress came in stages. He took grounders for the first time since the HBP six days earlier. and he was also seen holding a bat earlier than he could manage just two days ago. By Thursday. his third base reps stood out too—an important change of scenery for a shortstop who usually anchors the middle infield. where every movement is tied to how his hand responds.
The timing matters because Seattle’s injury placement was deliberate. The Mariners placed the 31-year-old veteran on the injured list after Framber Valdez hit him with a pitch. Initial X-rays showed no fracture, but swelling and pain forced the team to manage the injury carefully. Even with that caution, the updates point to improving comfort and readiness.
Crawford also appears to be moving closer to a return window. Because the Mariners backdated his injured list stint, he can be activated Tuesday. That’s the kind of next-step detail teams watch for—when the glove work improves, and when he’s able to hold the bat again.
For Seattle, the potential return couldn’t land at a better moment in June. Crawford has 10 home runs through 55 games this season, and bringing him back would provide another stabilizing piece in the lineup during a demanding road stretch.
An encouraging Thursday session doesn’t erase the earlier swelling and pain from the right hand. and the Mariners will still need to see how Crawford responds as work ramps up. But after he couldn’t hold a bat two days ago. Thursday’s groundballs at third base. and the eligibility to come off the injured list Tuesday. give Seattle a clearer path forward in a tight division race.
J.P. Crawford Seattle Mariners Camden Yards Framber Valdez hit-by-pitch right hand contusion injured list AL West Texas Rangers