ANALYSIS: What's Gone Into Mariners Shortstop J.P. Crawford's Resurgent Season?

At his current pace, Crawford would reach career highs in batting average, RBIs (73), on-base percentage and hits (182). He's one steal away from tying his single-season career high.

Crawford is putting together the best year in his near-decade long pro career, and he's doing it after his worst season.

In 2024, Crawford had two separate stints on the injured list that limited him to 105 games. He scored 55 runs and hit 16 doubles, two triples and nine home runs to go with 37 RBIs. He slashed .202/.304/.321 with a .625 OPS.

A large part of Crawford's success this season has been his expanded use of the field. Three of Crawford's doubles have been pulled, seven are to the opposite field and all six of his home runs are pulled. His singles, 56, are scattered all over the field per a spray chart from Baseball Savant.

You can compare this to last season, where Crawford did much of his damage to the pull side.

Crawford's approach to using the middle and opposite of the field is something preached by senior director of hitting strategy Edgar Martinez and hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. It's a strategy that multiple players on the team have adopted dating back to Martinez being hired as the hitting coach on Aug. 22, 2024, and something that Crawford has carried into this season.

A factor of Crawford's bounce-back season is that he has committed so wholeheartedly to a change in approach.

"I think it's just not allowing yourself to let the ball get deeper and deeper," Crawford said after a game June 15. "Not trying to catch it out front, hit homers all the time and just having that approach of hitting line drives up the middle, the other way. And it's been working out. ... I think I'm not trying to launch every at-bat, I'm just trying to get on base for Julio (Rodriguez), Cal (Raleigh) or whoever to hit me in."

Crawford's strikeout rate has dipped from 22.6% (41st percentile in baseball) in 2024 to 17.8% (69th percentile) this season. His walk-rate, which was already in the 90th percentile last season (11.5%) has jumped to the 99th percentile this year (16.8%). His chase rate (20.4%) and whiff rate (20.1%) rank in the 91st percentile and 75th percentile of the league, respectively.

Crawford has been a deliberate hitter, efficient hitter and he's a threat to get on base no matter where the ball travels.

"You got to give J.P. the credit," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview June 15. "He's battling up there, he's taking what the pitcher's giving him. If they pitch him away, he's able to pick up that hit or that double down the left-field line, he's able to get something out front and pull it out of the ball park. He is doing what he's got to do. And if it's not getting a hit, it's still getting on-base. Whether it's a walk or a really nice at-bat. We've seen it from him all year. And it just continues."

Health has also played a big role in Crawford's success. By this time last year, Crawford had already gone through his first IL stint and lost almost a month due to injury (April 25-May 20, 2024).

Crawford began this season slotted in the No. 9 hole, but took over as Seattle's lead-off hitter due to Victor Robles' left shoulder fracture. So far, the team has benefited from having Crawford and his refined approach at the top of the order.

Whether Crawford makes the All-Star Game or not, he's having an All-Star-type season.