Los Angeles Dodgers’ Carl Crawford designated for assignment

The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated veteran outfielder Carl Crawford for assignment after struggling mightily at the plate in limited action in 2016.

According to Mark Townsend of Big League Stew of Yahoo! Sports, 34-year-old veteran outfielder Carl Crawford has been designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday after struggling mightily at the plate in 2016.

While Crawford missed a good bit of the start of the 2016 MLB season, the former standout left fielder had a .185/.230/.235 batting split at the plate in 30 games. Crawford was once one of the best all-around outfielders in Major League Baseball when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays of the American League several years ago.

Crawford left Central Florida for Tampa Bay’s American League East rival Boston Red Sox on a seven-year deal worth $142 million signed in 2010. Injuries derailed his once promising big league career, but Crawford was still a valued outfielder for Los Angeles from 2013 to 2015.

Crawford will be either put on waivers, traded, released or sent to the minor leagues within the next 10 days, with the last option needing Crawford’s approval due to his MOLB tenure.

Given that Crawford has hit poorly at the plate in 2016, plays in a crowded Los Angeles outfield with Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, Trayce Thompson, and Scott Van Slyke, and has a lengthy injury history, it’s no surprise that the Dodgers would consider cutting ties with Crawford with one and a half years left on the seven-year deal he signed with Boston in 2010.

While Crawford is still owed roughly $35 million over the final year and a half of his guaranteed contract, the Dodgers are a major market team with one of the deepest payrolls in all of baseball. Though swallowing $35 million is tough for any major league club, the Dodgers are in great position to offset the loss of Crawford financially.

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