A.J. Pollock fractures elbow in freak play at home plate
Friday night was supposed to be a big night for Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock. After missing three weeks with soreness in his right elbow, the 2015 breakout star returned to the lineup just in time for Arizona’s final spring tune ups at Chase Field.
Unfortunately, his return did not go as planned. In the third inning of Friday’s game, Pollock fractured the same right elbow on a freakish play at home plate, and will now miss significant time during the regular season.
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Pollock appeared to survive his awkward slide around Royals catcher Salvador Perez without any issues. When he planted his right arm to get up though, the elbow gave out.
Based on Pollock’s reaction, it was clear that something was very wrong. Manager Chip Hale then confirmed the news following Arizona’s 7-4 victory, adding that Pollock will require surgery.
Obviously, the diagnosis is not good for Pollock or the Diamondbacks. The 28-year-old outfielder was a shining light last season, hitting .315/.367/.498 with 20 home runs, 39 doubles and 39 steals. Pollock also rated as one of baseball’s top defensive outfielders, which helped earn him his first All-Star selection and firmly established him as a cornerstone player for Arizona.
With Pollock’s value on the rise, teams were making calls all winter about his availability. The Diamondbacks held on tight though, confirming their desire to build a core that includes Pollock, Paul Goldschmidt and now, Zack Greinke.
Now they’ll have to find a way to fill Pollock’s production for an extended period, which won’t be easy. It’s assumed that rookie Socrates Brito will take over regular duties in center field. It’s difficult to know how he’ll handle that though, seeing as he’s only appeared in 18 MLB games.
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Also worth noting, Arizona experimented with shortstop Chris Owings in center field following Pollock’s injury on Friday. Owings is the odd man out on Arizona’s infield, so this could be a way to get his bat in the lineup. He hasn’t logged outfield time since 2011 though, so that idea might be far-fetched. .
Arizona could also look to the trade market depending on Pollock’s timetable to return. Again though, that’s not likely to make a great impact. Any way you look at it, this is a worst-case scenario at the absolute worst time that will unquestionably challenge Arizona’s resolve.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
