Arizona Diamondbacks: A.J. Pollock Returning This Week
By Jason Evans
In what has been an absolutely miserable season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, they will be finally getting centerfielder A.J. Pollack back in the fold
To say nothing has gone right for the Arizona Diamondbacks would be an understatement. Zack Greinke has been injured. Patrick Corbin has not been good. Shelby Miller has been awful and sent to the minors. Paul Goldschmidt‘s power has dropped. David Peralta hasn’t played much. A part that set off the D’Backs bad luck goes back to spring training when All-Star centerfielder A.J. Pollock fractured his elbow just before the season started.
Well, it’s been a lost year, but at least Pollock will be coming back on Wednesday for the club and will get to play in the season’s final few weeks.
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Going into last night, Pollock was hitting .433 in his rehab games.
"“He just looks free and easy,” said Hale, who has watched tape of Pollock’s rehab games. “I saw him steal a base, saw him run a ball down in the gap. Swinging, he’s been fine the whole time.”"
The Diamondbacks have used everyone from Michael Bourn to Chris Owings to play centerfield this year. A big reason why they had a top defense last year was in part due to Pollock in center.
Pollock last season hit .315 with .865 OPS. He was tied for eighth in baseball with a WAR of 6.6, higher than guys like Buster Posey, Andrew McCutchen and Chris Davis. He was seventh among outfielders with 14 defensive runs saved per Fangraphs.
Pollock is locked into a $6.75 million salary for next year and can’t become a free agent until 2019.
I think it will be good for the Diamondbacks to see their team a little closer to whole so they can evaluate for next season, not only on the field, but the baseball operations people as well. If they play better down the stretch, then maybe they try and give it another shot next season.
It should be another interesting off-season in the desert.