Crawford prides himself on consistency

SEATTLE -- The Mariners lineup has mostly lacked consistency all season, but has had one mostly consistent force through the first two months. That would be J.P. Crawford, whose stat sheet doesn’t jump off the page, but the under-the-hood numbers say he’s taken a step forward in 2021.

Crawford reached base in 35 of his past 43 games despite going 0-for-3 in Thursday’s 5-0 win over Texas, when he walked in the fifth. He’s getting the barrel on the ball better than ever before, connecting 84.4 percent of the time for a rate that leads the Mariners and ranks tied for 22nd among 248 qualified hitters.

He’s also made a huge improvement against left-handed pitching, making him a threat at any spot in the lineup -- and he’s hit all over -- regardless of matchup.

Crawford vs. lefties
2021: .339/.362/.429 (19 hits)
2020: .242/.338/.323 (15 hits)
2019: .160/.268/.179 (17 hits)
Career: .208/.305/.261 (55 hits)

“I don't get caught up in the numbers that he's doing there, because when he's going right, he's competitive,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “I don't care if they're right-handed, left-handed out there, he’s staying within his game. … I think he's been really consistent. I feel good every time he steps in the box that he’s going to do something positive for us.”

Given the Mariners’ injuries and offensive struggles, Crawford has batted everywhere but the Nos. 2-4 holes this season. Hitting ninth, as he had early in the year, might not lend itself to as many hittable pitches with the threat of the top of the order looming. But hitting fifth or sixth, as he has lately, could present more opportunities to do damage with runners on.

The wildly competitive Crawford says he doesn’t care where he hits. He just wants to play every day, and he pretty much has. Sunday marked his first off-day all season, which was scheduled rest.

“I think my at-bats have been good,” Crawford said. “I think over the last couple of days, we've picked it back up, and we're starting to put together better quality ABs all around. It's a long season. We’ve just kept grinding every day. And I think we're going to start seeing the other end of this little hill right now. That's what I feel. We're all starting to put together good ABs. So, things should finally start turning around.”

Crawford entered Spring Training 10 pounds heavier, hoping to bulk up and convert some of his extra-base hits into homers. But that approach has changed as the regular season has pressed on. Crawford’s exit-velocity readings are among the lowest in the Majors, and that’s OK with him, because his whiff rate (swing and miss) and chase rate (swinging out of the strike zone) are among the league’s best, ranking in the 88th and 79th percentile, respectively.

Above all, any time he speaks, Crawford repeatedly mentions the phrase “quality ABs” -- it’s instilled in his competitive nature.

“Yeah, definitely,” Crawford said. “I'm the type of guy who doesn't try to hit home runs. I just try to get on base, hit doubles, honestly, just try to stay in the middle of the field and get on base and score some runs for my teammates.”

That cocktail of an approach has Crawford believing he’s at his best when he’s driving the ball to the middle and opposite fields, either by punching his way through a shift or simply blooping one over an infielder’s head.

“It seems like J.P. has been around forever, and he hasn't been around forever,” Servais said. “He's still a young player and has got plenty of room to grow and learn and get better. I think he's been in a good spot the majority of the year against lefties and righties.”