Dodgers’ Carl Crawford has three good reasons for switching uniform numbers

PHOENIX — Carl Crawford is sporting a new number this spring, having dumped the No. 25 he wore last year in favor of No. 3.

“I didn’t like the number,” Crawford said. “I wanted to change. It just didn’t feel comfortable.”

When Crawford arrived in Los Angeles from Boston in 2012, Hanley Ramirez had the No. 13 Crawford wore in 10 of his first 11 big league seasons and Manager Don Mattingly the No. 8 Crawford wore as a rookie. But when No. 3, last worn by Skip Schumaker, became available this off-season, Crawford grabbed it.

“I’ve got three kids now,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons.”

Actually, Crawford has two children now but his fiancee, model Evelyn Lozada, will soon give birth to a boy. Exactly when that happens could affect Crawford’s availability for the Dodgers’ season-opening series in Australia this month.

“It could be any day now,” said Crawford, who won’t go to Australia if the child hasn’t been born.

“If I’m in Australia, what am I’m going to do? Fly 17 hours back?,” he said. “I want to go but you know I definitely want to see the birth of my third child.”

As for Crawford’s old number, that went to hitting coach Mark McGwire, who wore No. 25 during his playing days.

“It looks better on me,” McGwire said with a grin.

Scaling a hill

Zack Greinke threw off a mound for the first time since leaving a game last week because of a strain in his right calf. Mattingly downplayed the short session, calling it a “light session” and a “mini [bull]pen” and saying Greinke will throw again Thursday.

But despite the slight setback, Mattingly said Greinke seems more comfortable this spring, his second with the Dodgers.

“He knows how to get around. He’s more comfortable with our guys. He’s probably more comfortable with what’s going to happen in L.A.,” Mattingly said of Greinke, who was 15-4 with a 2.63 earned-run average last season. “Every city we go to, it’s going to be a place he’s been before. Coming back this year I’m sure he’s feeling confident.”

kevin.baxter@latimes.com

Twitter: @kbaxter11