In his introductory news conference with the Dodgers, Carl Crawford expressed regret for waiting to undergo Tommy John surgery.
As a member of the Red Sox, the left fielder attempted to play through the elbow pain. After playing in 31 games in July and August, he opted to shut his season down for the procedure before being shipped to Los Angeles.
Despite the fact that Crawford went under the knife so late, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told the Los Angeles Times that he believes Crawford will be ready for Opening Day next season.
Since inking a seven-year, $142 million contract in 2010, Crawford has been plagued with injuries. In his first season with the Red Sox, he battled hamstring issues that resulted in the worst season of his career.
Last offseason, the 31-year-old underwent surgery on his left wrist that forced him to miss Opening Day in 2012. Later, he suffered the discomfort in his elbow that prematurely ended the rest of his season.
A four-time All-Star, Crawford — who went to the Dodgers along with Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Nick Punto — is hoping the change of scenery will help him return to elite form.
