Crawford might not be ready for Dodgers' opener
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford will be out for at least a week after experiencing minor nerve irritation in his left elbow during spring training.
Crawford, who underwent Tommy John reconstruction surgery in August before he came to the Dodgers in a trade with Boston, will not throw or hit for a week, manager Don Mattingly said Friday. And there's concern that Crawford might not be ready to play by opening day.
Dr. Neal ElAttrache examined Crawford on Thursday night in Los Angeles after he experienced irritation in the elbow from hitting live pitching. Rest and anti-inflammatory medication were prescribed.
"There doesn't seem to be any panic," Mattingly said, according to MLB.com. "We're still being cautious. I look at this as more of a setback than I did the last couple of days. He can't throw and hit. He can still do work. But this pushes it back a bit."
The hope that Crawford would be ready for opening day on April 1 is now in question.
"This definitely challenges the timing of it," Mattingly said. "Instead of having four weeks, we'll have three. There's still time. But I'd rather he came back after 10 days or 20 days and have him healthy for a solid 140 than have him in and out."
