J.P. Crawford was lined up at the top of the Mariners order Sunday night as Seattle opened a four-game set against the Astros in Seattle. The game was scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PDT on April 12, 2026, with Luis Castillo set to start for the Mariners and Lance McCullers listed for Houston.
The leadoff move came with Brendan Donovan out while he recovered from the bug, leaving Seattle to adjust at the top of the lineup. Emerson Hancock, meanwhile, was taking the mound for the third time in 2026, giving the Mariners another arm to watch as they began the series.
That made Crawford’s spot more than a lineup note. It was the clearest sign of how Seattle was trying to cover for Donovan’s absence while still keeping the top of the order intact against a Houston staff built around McCullers, whose availability was being viewed through the lens of his injury history.
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The series opener was set to reach fans on Mariners TV and on radio through Old Reliable, giving the matchup a familiar local stage. Seattle now has to see whether the adjustment at the top holds while the four-game set unfolds, or whether Donovan’s return eventually changes the shape of the lineup again.