6:25pm: Manager Don Mattingly says that Crawford will be out for a minimum of a few weeks, per J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group (on Twitter). The team will have a more clear timetable within the next few days.
6:15pm: Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford tells reporters, including Pedro Moura of the Orange County Register that he’s headed to the disabled list with a torn oblique muscle (Twitter links). Crawford described the injury as a “pretty bad” tear. “I know it’s like a broken record, me heading to the DL, but there’s nothing I could have done to avoid it,” said Crawford, who tore the muscle while swinging. While there’s no timetable for his return yet, Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles tweets that Crawford could be out for a couple of months.
Crawford will join teammate Yasiel Puig on the disabled list, leaving Joc Pederson, Andre Ethier, Alex Guerrero, Scott Van Slyke and Enrique Hernandez (who was recalled to take Crawford’s roster spot) to receive the bulk of the playing time in the outfield.
This will be Crawford’s fifth trip to the disabled list in four seasons. The setback adds another entry to a rapidly growing list of injured Dodgers, as the team also lost Brandon McCarthy to a torn ulnar collateral ligament yesterday. Kenley Jansen, Brandon League, Joel Peralta and Hyun-jin Ryu are all also on the disabled list at this time as well.
Crawford, 33, was hitting .245/.260/.408 on the season and batted a strong .300/.339/.429 in 105 games for the Dodgers last season. He’s slated to earn 20.5MM in 2015 before earning $20.75MM in 2016 and $21MM in 2017 — the final year of the seven-year, $142MM contract that he originally signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2011 season.
All the media continued to proclaim that the Dodgers still had a logjam in the outfield, even after trading Kemp.
I’ve always felt, with the guys in the Dodgers outfield, that the depth was fine after they traded Kemp.
Ethier and Crawford have injury histories and Puig plays so hard that he is an injury risk just off of that.
Luckily, the Dodgers have Van Slyke and now Alex Guerrero who can pick up the slack for when starters get injured.
Kike Hernandez also should be a positive contributor as well, considering how well he hit in the Spring.
Depth on the 40 man roster is definitely a good thing.
Sad news for Carl. Although, for the Dodgers, could be a bit of a blessing. Guerrero has been tearing it up, and just needs a regular spot – even Van Slyke is probably a better everyday option than Crawford anyway.
Ethier’s stats have been great too, though I would say that’s probably in large part to limited playing time.
Agreed. I like Carl, but I can’t get my head around why Donnie runs him out there to start everyday. He’s not the best option offensively, he’s not the best option defensively, and his only asset (speed) is negated by his inability to get on base in the first place.
I’m thinkng the same way. Guerrero can’t possibly be any worse defensively than Crawford and he should be more productive at the plate.
They can withstand these injuries w/ the depth they have, but I would’ve liked to see a whole change in the training staff, like they did the FO. Way too many injuries over the last 3 years.
injuries happen.we sign two pitchers who are health risk. Crawford getting older and can’t stay healthy and puig play makes him a risk for injures also
I would blame the staff too because the Dodgers have had too many try to start.
Carl Crawford on the DL? Ah, Home Sweet Home…
A torn oblique and Mattingly says “a minimum of a few weeks”? Really? If it’s torn, he’s out for a lot more than a few weeks.
The Dodgers need to give Scott Van Slyke an extended look. His minor AND major league splits against RHP/LHP are minimal yet they used him primarily as a pinch hitter and part time player against LHP. I truly believe they have a .250/.350/.450 25 HR player in a hybrid mix of Jayson Werth and Hunter Pence on their hands. It would be a crime to let Van Slyke go to waste.