‘I feel like a baseball player again.’ J.P. Crawford begins rehab with Tacoma
The pregame hip-hop music echoing throughout Cheney Stadium sounded all too familiar. Ja Rule’s “Livin’ It Up” was the obvious giveaway — followed by Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” and a handful of tracks regularly heard in T-Mobile Park’s clubhouse after every Mariners win.
Of course, shortstop J.P. Crawford took the aux.
“I’ve been the DJ for a few years now,” Crawford smiled.
He won’t be here long, but Seattle’s unofficial captain is playing in Tacoma. The Mariners placed Crawford on the 10-day injured list (right shoulder inflammation) ahead of Opening Day, and he’ll begin a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Rainiers for their home opener on Tuesday night.
The 31-year-old looked like himself in warmups, completing a handful of smooth plays at shortstop and launching a homer over Cheney’s right-field wall on his last swing of batting practice.
“It definitely feels good to be back,” he told The News Tribune. “I feel like a baseball player again. Really excited.”
Crawford hopes to rejoin the Mariners for their first road trip this weekend, meaning he’d need only two games in Tacoma. Seattle visits the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game series that begins Friday night.
“Everything feels good,” he said. “Just excited to be back out here. Can’t wait to rejoin the team and help them keep winning.”
Crawford will bat second in Tacoma’s home opener. He caught up with former Mariners teammate and current Triple-A El Paso lefty Marco Gonzales before Tuesday’s game, both with Seattle from 2019-23.
“We’re really good friends,” Crawford said. “Both of our families hang out a lot whenever we get the time, and it’s just good to see him healthy and doing his thing.”
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 6:04 PM.
