With just two days to go until Opening Day, the Arizona Diamondbacks suffered a big blow on Friday night. All-Star centerfielder A.J. Pollock fractured his right elbow and will require surgery. There is not yet a timetable for his return, but Pollock is aiming to come back this season.
The injury occurred when the outfielder slid head-first into home plate during Arizona's 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. He had been dealing with elbow soreness most of the spring, and was playing for the first time in nearly a month.
Pollock held his arm in pain as he left the field in the third inning and did not come back out for the fourth. He mainly saw playing time in minor league games and intrasquad games since dealing with the sore elbow that began in early March.
Manager Chip Hale even considered placing his outfielder on the disabled list to begin the season. Although, he felt that Pollock got enough at-bats in the past week to be ready for Monday's game against the Colorado Rockies.
The 28-year-old is coming off an All-Star season that saw him hit .315 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. The only bad news for the young star, he suffered a similar injury in the spring of 2010 and missed the entire season.
The injury occurred when the outfielder slid head-first into home plate during Arizona's 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. He had been dealing with elbow soreness most of the spring, and was playing for the first time in nearly a month.
Pollock held his arm in pain as he left the field in the third inning and did not come back out for the fourth. He mainly saw playing time in minor league games and intrasquad games since dealing with the sore elbow that began in early March.
Manager Chip Hale even considered placing his outfielder on the disabled list to begin the season. Although, he felt that Pollock got enough at-bats in the past week to be ready for Monday's game against the Colorado Rockies.
The 28-year-old is coming off an All-Star season that saw him hit .315 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. The only bad news for the young star, he suffered a similar injury in the spring of 2010 and missed the entire season.
