Diamondbacks OF Socrates Brito out with injured hamate bone in hand
Nov 8, 2016, 9:06 PM | Updated: Nov 11, 2016, 11:07 am
Arizona Diamondbacks' Socrates Brito celebrates his two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, in Washington. The Nationals won 5-3. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Socrates Brito underwent surgery for a broken hamate bone in his right hand Tuesday, the team said.
The 24-year-old made the opening day roster in 2016 but struggled at the plate in 40 games with the D-backs, slashing .179/.196/.358. With Triple-A Reno, he fared much better, batting a .294/.322/.439 line while continuing to impress as an athletic center fielder.
The D-backs did not give a timeline for his return but hamate bone injuries often take several months to recover from.
Brito will again have a strong chance to challenge for a spot on the Arizona roster. The D-backs will be looking to address the defensive depth in the outfield to help A.J. Pollock, David Peralta and Yasmany Tomas. Peter O’Brien, Kyle Jensen and Mitch Haniger earned playing time in the outfield toward the end of 2016 as Arizona searched for stability.
Arizona relied on veteran midseason pickup Michael Bourn before trading him to the Orioles last year and also had Rickie Weeks Jr. and infielder Brandon Drury contribute due to the lack of depth.
