Injury Notes: Crawford, Kerkering, Murphy, Hernández
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford is currently on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, though he is not expected to have a lengthy absence. Indeed, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports that Crawford is with the team today and participated in batting practice. He is also slated for a full infield workout, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. He will remain with the team through the weekend before starting a Triple-A rehab assignment.
The update bodes well for Mariners fans, who will be glad to have their longtime shortstop back in action after just a few weeks. Crawford has generally been healthy since the 2021 season, apart from two missed months in 2024 due to a right oblique strain and a hand fracture. Assuming his rehab goes well, he’ll be on track for another season of 140 or more games. Last year, Crawford posted a 113 wRC+ in 157 games, showing his usual plate discipline with an 11.3% walk rate and an 88th-percentile chase rate. His defense regressed somewhat, but he was viewed positively by Defensive Runs Saved as recently as 2024. Leo Rivas will continue to play short for the Mariners while Crawford recovers.
A few more injury updates from around the league:
- Phillies right-hander Orion Kerkering threw a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance at Triple-A. The next step is for him to throw in back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to manager Rob Thomson (link via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). Kerkering was placed on the 15-day IL three days ago with a right hamstring strain, though he did pitch in minor league games near the end of camp. Judging by that, he should be back at some point in mid-April. Kerkering is coming off a solid 3.30 ERA in 60 relief innings in 2025, albeit with less encouraging peripherals. The late innings are covered by Jhoan Duran, Jose Alvarado, and Brad Keller, so Kerkering will take a middle relief role upon his return.
- Elsewhere in the NL East, Braves catcher Sean Murphy is participating in baseball activities and could start a rehab assignment soon, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The 31-year-old Murphy underwent hip surgery in September, and Bowman previously suggested that Murphy hoped to return some time in May. With last year’s NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin holding down the fort, the team can afford to proceed cautiously with Murphy’s rehab. That could make a late May return the goal for Atlanta. Murphy posted slightly below average offense in 2025, although his defense was excellent as usual. Baldwin, in contrast, was 25% better than average offensively last year, with -2 DRS behind the plate.
- Dodgers utilityman Enrique Hernández took batting practice on the field today. He is also progressing on defense, fielding grounders and making throws according to manager Dave Roberts (link via Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times). Roberts added that he would be “shocked” if Hernández did not return from the 60-day IL as soon as he is eligible on May 24. Hernández didn’t offer much with the bat last year, with a wRC+ of 70. His 5 Outs Above Average showed that his defense was still an asset, and he remains a fan favorite in Los Angeles thanks to his postseason heroics. He is playing on a $4.5MM salary in his 13th big-league season.
Photo courtesy of Matt Kartozian, Imagn Images
Red Sox Re-Sign Brendan Rodgers To Two-Year Minor League Pact
The Red Sox have re-signed infielder Brendan Rodgers to a two-year minor league deal, according to Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com. The deal allows him to rehab from shoulder surgery and hopefully return in 2027.
Rodgers was released by the club three days ago, though it seemed likely the two sides would reunite on a two-year pact. The 29-year-old joined the Red Sox organization in February but suffered a shoulder injury in a hard fall at the end of the month. That ended his bid to make the club out of camp, with the second base job ultimately going to Marcelo Mayer. If Mayer establishes himself this year, Rodgers may try for a backup spot if he is fully healthy in 2027.
The longtime Rockie is coming off a rough showing with the Astros in 2025. In 128 plate appearances over 43 games with Houston, Rodgers batted a meager .191/.266/.278 with a 55 wRC+. That was a steep falloff from his 87 wRC+ in 2024 and the worst mark for Rodgers since the 2020 season, when he only made 21 PA. His 35.9% strikeout rate with the Astros was a career high, and his 8.6% walk rate was not enough to make up for the significant decline in contact. While he showed some positive signs, such as a 48.6% hard-hit rate, the bottom-line results simply weren’t there. He went down a left oblique strain in mid-June and spent the rest of the season on the injured list.
For most of his time with the Rockies, Rodgers was a respectable, but underwhelming hitter. He slashed .266/.316/.409 with the club from 2019-24, grading out 14% below average by wRC+. That was serviceable, but not what the club expected given Rodgers’ pedigree as a former top prospect. He peaked with 1.8 fWAR in 2022, hitting 13 homers with a 94 wRC+ and playing exceptional defense at second base (22 Defensive Runs Saved). The latter proved to be an outlier, with Rodgers earning negative marks in DRS in 2023 and 2024. Going forward, he profiles best as a depth infielder, though his offense will need to recover post-surgery for him to stick on a big-league roster.
Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images