Report: D-backs considering OF Michael Bourn

Apr 3, 2016, 9:08 PM | Updated: Apr 4, 2016, 10:10 pm

Cleveland Indians' Michael Bourn follows through on his RBI double against the Oakland Athletics' in the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 31, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

(AP Photo/Ben Margot)

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

The Arizona Diamondbacks received devastating news Friday when All-Star center fielder A.J. Pollock fractured his right elbow in an exhibition game against the Kansas City Royals.

It looks like the D-backs are reportedly moving quickly to find someone to fill in while Pollock is out.

michael bourn is a consideration for dbacks, who suffered big blow with late loss of pollock

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 4, 2016

Rather than keep the outfielder, the Atlanta Braves decided to cut Bourn Saturday and take on his $14 million salary.

Known for his speed, Bourn has stolen at least 40 bases in five of his 10 seasons in MLB.

The 33-year-old is hitting .266 for his career with 31 home runs and 323 RBI.

Bourn was in the fourth and final year of a $48 million contract from the Cleveland Indians. The Indians signed Bourn and Nick Swisher in the same offseason in 2013, and then traded them both to the Braves in August for former D-back Chris Johnson.

Socrates Brito, David Peralta, Yasmany Tomas and Rickie Weeks Jr. were the four outfielders named to the D-backs roster Saturday.

Pollock is coming off a breakout 2015 season that saw him make the All-Star team and win a Gold Glove. He hit .315 with 20 HR and 76 RBI.

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The only lefty in the Diamondbacks' bullpen, Andrew Chafin quietly put together a strong season as a long reliever and will be leaned on more with Josh Collmenter beginning 2016 on the disabled list.

The $8.3 million the D-backs will pay reliever Tyler Clippard this year after signing him as a free agent only highlighted the doubling down of Arizona's front office when it came to spending money to win now.

In his fourth season on the mound for Arizona, Randall Delgado has been steady as a long reliever. He went 8-4 last season for a team that struggled with overworking its relievers.

Acquired this offseason in a trade with the Twins, catcher Chris Herrmann beat out Horizon High School and ASU product Tuffy Gosewisch to win the backup catcher job.

Arizona gave up its 2015 first overall draft pick (Dansby Swanson), a starting pitching prospect (Aaron Blair) and its lead-off man (Ender Inciarte) to acquire starting pitcher Shelby Miller. Behind ace Zack Greinke, the pressure is on the former Atlanta pitcher who went 6-17 with the struggling Braves last year.

A shoulder injury last spring hurt Chris Owings production come the season, but now he's healthy. Perhaps the odd man out with fellow second baseman Jean Segura the projected lead-off man and Nick Ahmed at shortstop, Owings didn't become irrelevant. Manager Chip Hale will rotate him in the infield, and possibly will use Owings in center field against left-handed pitchers due to A.J. Pollock's injury.

Choo, choooo! Here comes the Freight Train. While A.J. Pollock went from under-appreciated to well known last year, outfielder David Peralta is the baseball hipster's favorite D-back this year after he slashed .312/.371/.522 in 2015.

$A.J. Pollock missed most of spring with a sore elbow before fracturing it just as he came back and spring ended. The All-Star now faces a long recovery as his team hopes to find replacements high in the batting order and in center.$

Trimmed down from his rookie season, Cuban import Yasmany Tomas takes the left field spot vacated by David Peralta's move to right and Ender Inciarte's departure to Atlanta. Tomas batted .419 in spring training, and all eyes are on if he can begin living up to the hefty contract he signed.

Reliever Brad Ziegler took on a new role as closer last season and the results were promising enough to the point Arizona didn't feel the need to move him back to a role as set-up man.

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