Ryan Bliss Joins Mariners Taxi Squad as J.P. Crawford Injured

Crawford’s Hand Woes: Mariners Assess Options as Bliss Arrives

This piece takes a closer look at Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford and his struggles with an injured right hand. We’ll get into the details of his discomfort, what the team is doing right now, and what might happen next.

There’s also some other stuff worth mentioning from recent games. Mariners fans, consider this your quick update.

Crawford’s Injury: A Slowed Pace for the Captain

Over the weekend, the big topic for Mariners fans was J.P. Crawford’s right hand. He’s the guy you count on at shortstop—steady, always there, and a leader.

But then Framber Valdez nailed him with a fastball. Luckily, X-rays didn’t show a fracture, but the swelling and pain are still an issue.

Crawford spent most of Saturday getting treatment. He wanted to test his grip and see if he could throw before anyone made a call on his status.

All this uncertainty pushed the Mariners’ front office to make a move.

Precautionary Measures and the Arrival of Ryan Bliss

On Sunday, Crawford’s pregame routine was, honestly, barely a routine. He could only manage a quick five-minute throwing session—not exactly a sign that he’s ready to go.

Manager Dan Wilson said that infielder Ryan Bliss was coming up from Sacramento. It’s a precaution, nothing more, but it gives the team some flexibility while they wait to see how Crawford feels.

Bliss joined the taxi squad, so he’s basically on standby if Crawford needs more time. The Mariners have gotten by without a regular bench guy for the first two games of this series, which says something about their depth.

Naylor’s Rough Weekend and Fan Reception

Switching gears, first baseman Josh Naylor found himself in the spotlight for less-than-ideal reasons. At Comerica Park, the home crowd really let him have it with boos all weekend.

It all started with a few aggressive slides. One of them ended with his sliding mitt flying into catcher Dillon Dingler, and there were a couple more hard slides into bases.

The fans kept the heat on, and Naylor ended up getting hit by a pitch. He answered with another hard slide at second, trying to break up a double play.

Things stayed intense. In the ninth inning, Naylor slid into Tigers infielder Zach McKinstry. Like it or not, Naylor’s energy on the field made the whole series feel charged.

A Zanesville Connection: Two Colts in the Big Leagues

Here’s a quirky twist: two up-and-coming players, rookie Colt Emerson of the Mariners and Tigers prospect Colt Keith, share more than just their first name. They’re the only two Colts in Major League Baseball right now, and both grew up in Zanesville, Ohio.

Funny enough, they never actually met as kids in the Buckeye State. Still, that odd little hometown link adds a bit of charm to the grind of the season.

* **J.P. Crawford:** Nursing a sore right hand, might end up on the IL.
* **Framber Valdez:** The pitcher who hit Crawford.
* **Ryan Bliss:** Infielder called up from Sacramento, just in case.
* **Josh Naylor:** Getting booed by fans after some aggressive slides and a previous incident.
* **Colt Emerson & Colt Keith:** The two Major Leaguers named Colt, both born in Zanesville, Ohio.

It’s all still unfolding for the Mariners. Fans are waiting to see if Crawford’s hand heals quickly and what the team does with the roster. Can’t help but think—baseball always finds a way to surprise us, doesn’t it?
 
Here is the source article for this story: With J.P. Crawford still nursing hand injury, infielder joins taxi squad