On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally decided enough was enough when it came to their relationship with Carl Crawford.
With a roster spot needed, the Dodgers decided to designate the 34-year-old outfielder for assignment, which means the Dodgers have 10 days to put Crawford on waivers, trade him, release him or send him to the minors. The latter would require Crawford's permission.
Those are the procedural issues in play. Now comes the reality. Crawford is still owed roughly $14M this season, and he's owed another $21.857M next season as he wraps up the seven-year, $142M contract he signed with the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2010 season.
If another team adds Crawford through waivers or by signing him after his assumed release, that team will only be responsible for the league minimum salary, while the Dodgers are on the hook for the rest. In other words, the Dodgers are going to eat the majority of that money unless by some miracle they can find a trade partner willing to save them.
Spoiler alert: That miracle isn't happening.
The Dodgers are attempting to put a postive spin on the transaction, noting that Crawford was caught up in the numbers game in their crowded outfield. An outfield, by the way, that just lost Yasiel Puig to a hamstring injury. The Dodgers do boast some quality options, which include Joc Pederson, Trayce Thompson, Scott Van Slyke and Enrique Hernandez, but for the money he's owed, it's quite a disappointment that Crawford hasn't forced his name into that group.
In 30 games this season, Crawford posted an ugly .185/.230/.235 batting line. It's a hard fall for a player who once possessed every skill needed to be a success in MLB, but he has no skills that stand out anymore. With that in mind, it's unlikely other teams will view him as more than an experienced bench option who can play the corner outfield.
Considering that's a position most teams can easily fill within their own organization, Crawford's options could be limited.
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