Top Landing Spots for Free Agent J.P. Crawford
While he might not be the player he once was, J.P. Crawford should still have a competitive free-agent market. Where might he land this offseason?
J.P. Crawford played a key role on Seattle’s American League runner-up squad in 2025, but a trying 2026 season, littered with injuries, declining play, and even a move off shortstop in favor of youth, has the veteran searching for a new direction as he hits free agency.
Seattle informed Crawford that he would not be returning earlier this week, so new threads are guaranteed for the soon-to-be 32-year-old shortstop. It’s easy to see why the Mariners want to head in this direction. Colt Emerson, their top position player prospect entering the season, appears ready to take the mantle at shortstop, and Seattle got below-average production from the position in 2026.
As for Crawford, he enters a career crossroads. A run of injuries, most notably a wrist injury, led to a decline in bat speed following his return in September. His defense has also gotten worse, making for a rough combination for an impending free agent.
Despite some glaring red flags, Crawford’s free agent market is likely to remain competitive. The shortstop market is incredibly thin, and Crawford is the only left-handed bat in the group projected to be an above-average hitter. Suffice to say, there will be teams willing to buy into the idea that a healthy Crawford can still be an everyday contributor on the left side of the infield.
Free Agent Profile: J.P. Crawford
- 2027 Age: 32
- 2026 Stats: 116 G, 489 PA, .221/.335/.352, 14 HR, 105 wRC+, .312 wOBA, 1.2 fWAR
- 2026 Salary: $11 million
- Qualifying Offer: No
Contract Projection
- Length: 1-3 years
- Projected AAV: $9-14 million
Despite a down season, Crawford’s 1.2 fWAR in 2026 will be the second-highest total among free agent shortstops this offseason. The question that remains is whether teams will view Crawford as a solution to their needs at shortstop. Seattle moved him to third base in June after needing to shuffle the deck due to a slew of injuries, and he didn’t move back to shortstop until August, following Emerson’s season-ending wrist surgery.
The move to third base also coincided with a noticeable downturn in Crawford’s defense at shortstop, while he was much closer to average at third base.
J.P. Crawford Shortstop Defense
| Season | Innings | DRS | FRV | DRP | Arm Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1412.1 | 6 | 3 | 2.0 | 82.5 |
| 2022 | 1254.0 | -4 | -5 | -4.0 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 1260.0 | -4 | -8 | -1.0 | 82.3 |
| 2024 | 894.2 | 9 | 1 | 4.6 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 1384.2 | -3 | -9 | -1.4 | 79.6 |
| 2026 | 720.0 | -12 | -10 | -2.7 | 80.4 |
| Via FanGraphs | Via FanGraphs | Via Statcast | Via Baseball Prospectus | Via Statcast |
On a rate basis, Crawford’s 2026 was not just the worst of his career, but nearly the worst in baseball. He ranked in the bottom three in Defensive Runs Saved, Fielding Run Value, and Baseball Prospectus’s Defensive Runs Prevented. His arm strength took a steep dive last season, and that decline has only continued.
The upside for Crawford was a strong September. After a rough June and July, during which he slashed .200/.308/.280 and posted a 79 wRC+, Crawford returned from injury in strong fashion, posting a 127 wRC+ over his final 104 plate appearances.
Crawford also has historically strong platoon splits against right-handed pitching, a precocious eye at the plate, and the ability to avoid chasing pitches and swinging and missing. Thus, despite a weaker season and some scary signs of aging, these four teams could be on the hunt for exactly what Crawford can provide this offseason.
Free Agent Landing Spots for J.P. Crawford
Philadelphia Phillies
Projected Payroll: $267 million
With Alec Bohm likely gone, the Phillies will be searching for answers at third base. Should Crawford be open to signing with the intention of playing primarily at third, this fit makes a lot of sense. While the Phillies will likely give prospects like Aidan Miller a shot to crack the Opening Day roster this spring, Crawford, a former Phillies top prospect himself, provides poise at the plate and on-base ability that meshes perfectly with the top dogs in the Phillies lineup.
Philadelphia has been burned by aging free-agent signings recently, as Adolis García and Max Kepler were total duds. But unless Miller completely takes Spring Training by storm, there aren’t many answers at present for an already antsy and desperate roster and front office.
Steamer projects Crawford to be a 104 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR player in 2027, and as a role piece, that’s something the Phillies desperately need. Outside of Bryson Stott, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber, the rest of the Phillies’ batters combined for just 2.0 fWAR. Barring an aggressive push for Teruaki Sato, Crawford on a cheaper, short-term deal could be the best-case scenario for Philadelphia.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Projected Payroll: $103 million
The Pirates are on a Paul Skenes-sized countdown to competing before their ace becomes too expensive for them to pay, and if they aren’t able to retain Brandon Lowe in free agency, Crawford could be the next-best fit. The Pirates’ coaching staff worked with Lowe at second base to turn one of baseball’s worst defensive second basemen into one of the best, so there’s hope yet for Crawford to make a similar transition there.
Beyond replacing Lowe, this move would work twofold even if Pittsburgh does re-sign him, as Nick Gonzales, who had a solid but incredibly unsustainable 2026 at the plate, struggled mightily defensively at third base. Whether the Pirates can keep Lowe or not, the need for Crawford is still there.
Pittsburgh had a handful of young prospects come up and make a splash throughout the season, but their lack of everyday fits runs the risk of putting too much of the load on their youth. With Reynolds and O’Hearn as the established veterans in the outfield, finding another in the infield who can serve as more than just a veteran presence and be a capable everyday player would do wonders for an 82-win team that’s much closer to competing than many give them credit for.
Los Angeles Angels
Projected Payroll: $110 million
The first of a couple of teams that could be looking for a short-term signing to possibly flip at the deadline, the Angels are in full rebuild (except Mike Trout) mode, and a familiar foe could become a friend here.
Crawford, born and raised in SoCal, is familiar with the division and has always hit well at Angel Stadium. A new front office and coaching staff, all under new ownership, have started to push away the Angels stink that’s lingered from free-agent signings in previous seasons.
Crawford, who described his 2026 as a “letdown“, is searching for a bounceback season. The Angels, in dire need of production on the left side of the infield next to Zach Neto, as well as against right-handed pitching, are a seamless fit for Crawford in an everyday role.
Crawford has historically been strong against right-handed pitching, and a runway to play every day would provide him with a chance to get dealt to a contender and get back to October. The Angels are in desperate need of continuing to turn veteran pieces into quality prospect capital as they put the foundation together for their rebuild.
Atlanta Braves
Projected Payroll: $216 million
Among contending teams in the National League, the Braves are in the greatest need of a shortstop. Ha-Seong Kim provided nothing, and if not for Mauricio Dubón’s 62 productive games at shortstop, this would have been a total wasteland.
This fit is firmly driven by Atlanta’s desperate need for anything at shortstop. There’s no answer on the current roster. Both Dubón and Kim are free agents, and John Gil ended last season in Double-A and still seems too far away to pencil in as a contributor of any kind. The answer will have to come via trade or free agency.
This level of desperation could allow Crawford to stick at shortstop, and the Braves buying into a fully healthy version of him at a fairly cheap price tag could be their ticket to a major uptick in production up the middle.
Become a Member of Just Baseball
Subscribe and upgrade to go ad-free!
* Save 25% by subscribing annually.
Written by