Justin Crawford shows ‘fire,' impresses in exhibition opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Justin Crawford giggled.
“I’ve got to hit the weight room a little more,” he told reporters on Saturday.
There wasn’t much to nitpick in Crawford’s first Spring Training outing in 2026. He collected two hits against the Blue Jays in Dunedin and showed why the Phillies feel comfortable giving him a real opportunity.
Crawford has spent plenty of his pro career at or near the top of the order, so batting leadoff in his first Grapefruit League action wasn’t new. What stood out was how composed it looked.
That’s part of the profile the 22-year-old has built, and not just from bloodlines. Yes, he’s the son of Carl Crawford. But Justin’s approach has stayed consistent: play fast, make contact, pressure the defense.
That showed up quickly against Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer, a seven-year big leaguer. Crawford worked the count, then on the sixth pitch drove a high fastball into the left-center gap. It banged off the middle of the wall and he cruised into second with a double that left the bat at 104 mph.
It was also a swing he felt good about right away.
“Definitely,” Crawford said when asked if he liked the swing and result. “That definitely feels good getting the first one, the first at-bat like that. So it’s kind of nice to be able to get that early and then just trying to hopefully build off of that.”
The left-on-left piece is what keeps his ceiling interesting.
In 2025, Crawford slashed .376/.411/.518 against left-handed pitching in Triple-A. When a left-handed hitter can handle same-side matchups, put the ball in play, and run, it changes how teams have to defend you.
Crawford talked last week on Phillies Talk about keeping things simple and trusting what got him here.
“Once I get out into the game, just go out there and just play,” Crawford said. “Whatever happens, whatever happens — just play hard and play fast, and I feel like good things happen off of that.”
Part of playing for the Phillies’ No. 3 prospect — per MLB Pipeline — is being a pest. That’s something this lineup could use more of, especially at the end. A tough out.
If Crawford’s bat can stick toward the bottom of the order, it creates more chances for Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper — in no particular order — to hit with traffic. That’s a real way to change the feel of an offense without making a splashy addition.
And if the Phillies ever need a spark at the top, don’t rule out Crawford working his way into that conversation, too. In a situation where the club wants to keep alternating left-right, that’s a path as well.
Crawford also shared one small mechanical note from his offseason, saying he tweaked his setup late last season and stayed with it through the winter.
“I made some adjustments at the end of the year… playing with my hands, got them a little bit closer to around my ear now,” Crawford said postgame. “It just feels like it’s quicker to kind of get to the ball from there.”
Defense is the other side of it. Center field is one of the hardest spots to step into right away, and it hasn’t been the loudest part of Crawford’s profile. But the tools are obvious, and the instincts showed on his sliding grab in center against Addison Barger in the fourth inning.
He also addressed the outfield dynamic, with Brandon Marsh to one side and Adolis García to the other.
“They made it very clear to kind of get me comfortable and to kind of be like, ‘Yo, go take charge out there,’” Crawford said on Phillies Talk. “There’s no such thing as over-talking.”
The Phillies have also liked what they’ve seen from Crawford’s routine and consistency. He said Saturday that a strong support system helps keep him grounded as the attention ramps up.
“Thankfully, I have a pretty good support system with my mom, my dad, my hitting coach, Mike Esler,” Crawford said. “They kind of help me stay in the moment… take it day by day, pitch by pitch, and kind of just controlling what you can control.”
There’s also an element clubs tend to value when young players arrive: how you go about it. Hustle, effort, and not playing scared. Crawford’s first game checked those boxes.
Philadelphia can be a tough place to grow up at the big league level. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm are recent examples who stuck, but the list isn’t long. The key with a homegrown talent like Crawford is patience.
Rob Thomson has already said he’ll get the chances to play. If there are growing pains, the club will have to live through them.
It’s one Spring Training game. But the early signs matched his reputation — and the attitude did, too.
“Try to light some fire,” Crawford said on Phillies Talk. “Just do anything I can to cause havoc for the defense… any way I can to get on base, to score for our team.”
Saturday looked just like that.
