D-backs OFs Owings, Pollock out of lineup vs. San Diego

PHOENIX – Considering how it looked in real-time, and even on replays, the Arizona Diamondbacks feel very fortunate that outfielders Chris Owings and A.J. Pollock avoided serious injury after the two collided in right-center field chasing a fly ball on Thursday.

Still, neither was in Friday’s lineup, when the D-backs hosted the San Diego Padres in game one of a three-game series. Both, though, were available off the bench, according to manager Torey Lovullo.

Owings suffered a head contusion and was evaluated for a concussion, while Pollock, who later in the game hit a go-ahead home run to help the D-backs win the series with San Francisco, jammed his right hand.

“We’re very lucky,” Lovullo said. “Two elite athletes, chasing a baseball at full speed. We’re very fortunate.”

Owings reported to Salt River Fields in the morning for further evaluation. He passed all of MLB’s standard concussion testing. Owings then arrived at Chase Field and began his normal pregame routine, including early hitting in the batting cage.

“I feel like things are going pretty good,” he said.

Again, that certainly was not the expectation given the impact when Owings and Pollock ran into one another.

“When it happened, I thought he kneed me in the head because my head was really hurting out there,” said Owings, who caught the third-inning fly ball hit by the Giants’ Joe Panik.

“Watching it, I think I got pretty lucky with him just kind of getting me in the jaw and then my head hitting the ground was what really got it. That really subsided last night. I was laying down watching the rest of the game and the pain tolerance went down. I was able to get some sleep last night so that helped out a lot.”

The decision not to start Pollock was made by Lovullo, who mentioned he’s been looking to give Pollock a day off for a while now. The D-backs believe very strongly in getting their players rest when they can and Pollock had played in all 18 games this season.

“He could’ve played. I know that he wanted to play,” Lovullo said, “but I just feel like at this point in time it didn’t make sense. We don’t need to press the issue and I decided to give him the day off.”

With two-thirds of his starting outfield on the bench, Lovullo went with Daniel Descalso in left, Jarrod Dyson in center and David Peralta in right. For Descalso and Peralta, it was their first starts of the season in left and right field, respectively.

“We’re built for moments like this,” Lovullo said. “We’ve practiced for this, we’ve talked about this, we had some innings that were played like this in spring training so these guys know their space, they know where they’re at.

“Yes, we’re down a couple of outfielders that could play but it’s time for these guys to go out and have some fun in a new environment, a new area, and go do their thing. It’s usually one of those days where you’re holding your breath but they do spectacular things because they’re ready and they’re prepared.”

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