In case you missed it, I wrote about Carl Crawford‘s return to the Dodgers yesterday. It was an emotional one. He’ll be back in the lineup today against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch, leading off as the designated hitter. He’s expected to do the same tomorrow against the A’s. Crawford said Monday morning that he’s still pain-free in his surgically repaired left elbow.

As sometimes happens, there wasn’t room in the paper for everything I wrote. Here’s what you missed:

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Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford will DH in a minor-league game again today. He did the same yesterday and his seven plate appearances “went good,” in Crawford’s words. (Major-league players on rehab assignments are allowed to bat once an inning, in different spots in the order, in minor league games.)

“My timing’s getting better,” Crawford said. “I took a a few good swings. I’m starting to track (the ball) a little bit.”

If he had to hit in a major-league game tomorrow? “I think I’d be OK,” Crawford said.

Update (9:30 a.m.): Crawford may get to find out. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said that he may use tomorrow’s home game against the Milwaukee Brewers to get Crawford his first at-bats of the spring. The Dodgers also have a split-squad road game scheduled for 1 p.m. against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

If Crawford doesn’t play tomorrow, he could DH in Monday’s home game against the Diamondbacks. Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson has already disallowed use of the DH in a game once this spring, but use of the DH in spring games is determined by the home manager, regardless of whether the game is in an American or National League park.

“Even though I want the pitchers to hit, Carl takes precedence,” Mattingly said.

For the third straight day, Crawford will test his throwing from approximately 90 feet, the same distance he was throwing from when team trainers temporarily shut down his rehab program two weeks ago.

Crawford underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow last August and remains questionable to play Opening Day. He hasn’t appeared in a game since August 19, 2012.

Carl Crawford took his first swings against live pitching on Feb. 25, but was shut down four days later.

Carl Crawford was scheduled to face three live major-league pitchers Tuesday, teammates J.P. Howell, Kenley Jansen and Brandon League. He saw about 20 pitches each from Howell and Jansen, pouncing off one Jansen pitch that bounced off the left-field fence. Then Crawford walked off the field along with coaches and a trainer; League had to face a pair of Dodgers minor-league hitters instead.

Was Crawford hurt?

Fatigued?

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Carl Crawford took his first swings against live pitching on Feb. 25, but was shut down four days later. (Subpar Instagram photo by J.P. Hoornstra)

Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford, whose hitting and throwing programs were postponed last Friday, will resume baseball activities tomorrow, manager Don Mattingly said.

Technically that’s one day ahead of schedule. Five days ago Mattingly said that Crawford would be shut down for a week because of nerve irritation in his left arm.

But Crawford has been symptom-free for three days and got the green light to hit off a tee tomorrow.

“He’ll be monitored, though,” Mattingly said. “He’ll be more on a rehab program … the number of swings taken, exactly what he can do. It’ll start there, in the cage. It’ll be controlled.”

If that goes well, Mattingly said that Crawford will be allowed to throw. He had been throwing from up to 90 feet at the time of the setback. Crawford had Tommy John surgery on his left (throwing) elbow last August and has a target of playing by Opening Day, April 1.

“He’s been able to do everything — track balls, stay in shape, running, all the baserunning stuff — everything basically but throw and hit,” Mattingly said. “That’s obviously pretty important stuff, but there are other areas that he’s able to continue to work.”