Carl Crawford expected to begin taking at-bats in extended spring games this Tuesday

Via Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal:

Carl Crawford will fly back to Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday and “more than likely” will play in his first extended-spring-training game on Tuesday, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said.

Crawford has been on the 15-day disabled list since the start of the regular season due to lingering inflammation in his surgically-repaired left wrist.

He experienced a setback recently in the form of left elbow soreness, but it was only a minor issue and he was able to take batting practice Saturday in an indoor cage while the Red Sox hosted the Rays outside.

“He’s taken a lot of batting practice,” Valentine said Sunday morning. “He might have even been part of the inspiration for our play yesterday. He was taking it during the game in the cage. The sound was so loud that I think it inspired some of our guys to hit the ball hard. He was really making a loud noise in that batting cage.”

Crawford, who posted a disappointing .255/.289/.405 slash line in 2011, is expected to be ready in early May.