Mariners sign Crawford to $51 million, five-year contract

MINNEAPOLIS » The Seattle Mariners signed Gold Glove shortstop J.P. Crawford to a $51 million, five-year contract on Friday ahead of the start of the regular season.

Crawford, 27, had agreed last month to a $4.85 million, one-year deal and would have been eligible for free agency after the 2024 season. He gets a $5 million signing bonus and $5 million salary this year, $10 million in each of the following three seasons and $11 million in 2026. He also gets a full no-trade provision.

“I love Seattle. I’ve loved it ever since I put on that jersey for the first time,” Crawford said before the season opener against the Twins. “I’ve really wanted to stay here ever since then. So I’m really happy for this opportunity.”

Crawford has been a standout defender since being acquired from the Phillies by the Mariners before the start of the 2019 season.

Crawford said he was at a low point with his career toward the end of his time in Philadelphia. After he arrived in Seattle, he received helpful guidance from veteran Dee Strange-Gordon to help start his turnaround.

Judge, Yankees fail to agree

NEW YORK » Aaron Judge began what could be his last season with the Yankees after failing to agree to a long-term contract by the slugger’s opening-day deadline to reach a deal.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team offered an eight-year contract worth $230.5 million to $234.5 million, the difference to have been determined in arbitration for this year’s salary.

Judge’s representatives wanted a nineyear deal in excess of the average annual value of Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout’s contract, which comes to $319.6 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Judge’s stance was not made public.

The outfielder is eligible for free agency after the World Series.

Cashman anticipates talks will resume after the season. Judge would not be free to negotiate with all teams until the sixth day after the World Series.

Davis named Fox’s lead MLB voice

Joe Davis is no stranger to succeeding legendary baseball voices.

In 2017, he took over from Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully on Dodgers telecasts. He’s since emerged as one of the top broadcasters in the game. Davis, 34, will be tasked with succeeding another major name. On Friday, Davis was named Fox Sports’ lead baseball play-by-play announcer.

Davis takes over for Joe Buck, who left Fox for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” Buck was Fox’s lead baseball announcer since the network started televising games in 1996, calling 24 World Series and 22 AllStar

Games.

“I’m going to try to be myself,” Davis said. Davis’ debut as Fox’s top voice will be May 28.

Balkovec cheered in managing debut

LAKELAND, FLA. » Rachel Balkovec signed autographs, drew a nice ovation when she as introduced and posed for a picture at home plate. Then it was time to get to work. The manager of a Yankees minor league team had a game to run.

But on this Friday night, that she’d become the first woman to manage an affiliate of a Major League Baseball team called for even more recognition.

So as she ran from the dugout of Class A Tampa Tarpons to coach first base before the top of the second inning, a chant broke out at Joker Marchant Stadium. “Let’s go, Rachel!”

It came from a group of girls as the Tarpons played the Lakeland Flying Tigers in the Florida State League.