D-backs’ A.J. Pollock to begin rehab stint in Triple-A on Friday
Jun 29, 2018, 1:45 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) leaves the field due to injury as he talks with head athletic trainer Ryan DiPanfilo during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, May 14, 2018, in Phoenix. The Brewers defeated the Diamondbacks 7-2. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Nearing a return from an avulsion fracture to his left thumb, Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock will begin a rehab stint with the Reno Aces on Friday, he told MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert.
The Aces visit Triple-A Tacoma in what we will Pollock’s first game action since May 14, when he left late in a 7-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers after injuring himself on a diving catch attempt.
Before the injury, Pollock was not only the D-backs’ best player but garnering early-season buzz as an MVP candidate. A day after the injury, a poll of 32 team writers for MLB.com saw 22 votes go in favor of Pollock for MVP at that point.
Pollock was slashing .293/.349/.620 and leading the league in WAR.
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He had 11 home runs and 33 RBI with nine stolen bases to that point.
Pollock joins fellow outfielder Steve Souza Jr. on rehab assignment for the Diamondbacks.
Souza, who has been out since May 21 with a pectoral injury, played as a designed hitter Tuesday and Wednesday for Single-A Visalia, going 3-for-9 with a double and a walk.
After being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason, he didn’t make his D-backs debut until May 3 due to the pectoral injury and in just 14 games played for Arizona after that was batting .163 with one RBI and 13 strikeouts to four walks.
