Boston Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford is going to see Dr. James Andrews to have the soreness in his left elbow checked out.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine termed Crawford's impending visit a "fact-finding mission" to determine the cause of continuing discomfort.

Valentine said it was his understanding that Crawford had not yet visited Andrews but was trying to make an appointment.

Asked whether Crawford might require surgery, Valentine said: "Is surgery a possibility? I haven't heard any reason to do surgery, a surgical procedure being necessary. I haven't heard that. Hope not."

Crawford began the season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery in January to repair damage in his left wrist. He developed discomfort in his left elbow, he said, while the Red Sox were still in training camp in Florida, and flew to Boston to undergo an MRI on April 10, just days before the Red Sox home opener. He had a scheduled followup exam Tuesday, when the decision was made to seek a second opinion.

"The elbow has improved, but (there's) still some soreness, so he's going to get a second opinion," general manager Ben Cherington said in an email Wednesday.

Crawford has been limited to the role of designated hitter in extended spring games.

"The only thing I heard is he hadn't been throwing for a couple of days, he was shagging, he picked up a ball and lobbed it in and he still felt something," Valentine said, "and so that's what raised concerns.

"Sometimes you haven't thrown in a few days and you didn't warm up and you didn't expect to throw and you throw. It's not like he's tried to throw and said I can't throw. I'll bet if this was the seventh game of the World Series and he had to advance it in he could advance it in."

The Red Sox outfield could use some reinforcement with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury expected to miss six to eight weeks with a shoulder injury.

Crawford signed a seven-year, $142 million contract with the Red Sox before the 2011 season and had one of the worst years of his career, hitting .255 with 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases.

Information from ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes was used in this report.