With expectations of playing in October, Mariners start managing work loads now

OAKLAND, Calif. — As J.P. Crawford walked through the cave that is the visitor’s clubhouse at Oakland Coliseum, he had the usual wrap around his entire abdomen.

What makes it so distinguishable was the flashing lights and sensors on the back of it.

He has been wearing it for much of the road trip.  

While he wouldn’t divulge much information, the wrap was designed to warm up his lower back and contained massagers.

No, he wouldn’t loan it out to the media for in-game use.

So is his lower back bothering him?

“It’s not too bad,” he said. “Nobody feels good this time of year.”

When manager Scott Servais gave Crawford the day off vs. the Yankees on Aug. 10, the final game of the recent homestand, he did so knowing his starting shortstop needed a break and would get two days off with an off-day the following day before starting the current road trip in Texas.

“J.P. has been grinding through this little stint we’ve been in and he has not been at 100%, but hopefully a day off today and then off tomorrow, he’ll get back closer to full go,” Servais said at the time.

For Crawford, it gave him two days to rest the lower back, which had been giving him problems off and on for over a month. He isn’t sure if he injured it sliding or diving for a ball. It wasn’t bad enough to force him out of the lineup, particularly when Dylan Moore was already on the 10-day injured list with back spasms, but it wasn’t enjoyable playing through the discomfort.

This is what happens in August with a team in contention. Hurt vs. injured. That’s the determination if you play.

In the six games since the two-day break, he’s had seven hits in 26 plate appearances with six walks, four RBI and no strikeouts.

“It feels good to actually be able to rotate when I swing and not feel it,” Crawford said.

After posting an unsustainable .360/.449/.537 slash line in the first 21 games of the season, Crawford slowly started to decline. He had a brutal June where he posted a .202/.263/.289 slash line while dealing with minor injuries, including a jammed index finger on his throwing hand.  

After serving a four-game suspension to start July, Crawford came out of it with 12 hits in his first 10 games and looking rejuvenated. He also had nine hits in the first seven games out of the All-Star break.

But after tweaking the back, likely in Houston, Crawford had six hits in 12 games and 49 plate appearances (.136/.208/.136) before being given the recent off-day. Moore’s return from the IL made it easier.

“His timing is better and he was getting on more pitches,” Servais said. “When J.P. kind of gets in a funk, so to speak, he is missing his pitches that he should be putting in play. I thought he had good swings on the breaking balls. He was aggressive. I love what I saw. He took a few hits to the opposite field, which is always a good sign.”

Servais is hoping two days off yield similar results for Ty France, who has been scuffling by his standards. France was out of the lineup Wednesday followed by Thursday’s off-day.

With six off-days in the final 42 games of the season and a deeper more experienced bench, Servais will try to find rest days for players with the expectation of playing into October.

“It can be helpful when you turn it into two days off, which is kind of like a reboot,” Servais said. “Hopefully it helps him get going. You’re gonna see us do more of that. It may not always line up perfectly with an off-day right behind. Our team is deeper than we’ve been at probably any point this season and we have a lot of pieces, guys who can play multiple positions. We’ve got the flexibility to do that, and we will.”

Notes

• The Mariners have no plans to shift their starting rotation with another off-day Monday before a two-game series with the Nationals. That means lefty Robbie Ray will start Tuesday with George Kirby going Wednesday. Ray would be able to pitch the finale of the big four-game series vs. Cleveland at T-Mobile Park.

• Saturday’s game vs. the A’s will have the unusual start time of 4:15 p.m. The game is being picked up as a one of Fox’s national broadcast games. The game will be televised on Ch. 13 and not ROOT Sports.