Aside from retaining David Freese, Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ only activity in free agency this past offseason was to sign Joe Kelly and A.J. Pollock.
Thus far in the 2019 season, neither newcomer has met expectations. In the case of Pollock, he’s now on the 10-day injured list due to trouble with his right elbow that twice has been operated on.
Following a 3-2 loss, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Pollock was unavailable in Monday’s series opener against the San Francisco Giant due to an infection in the elbow. The club formally placed Pollock on the IL on Tuesday with right elbow inflammation.
According to Pedro Moura of The Athletic, Pollock is having his elbow examined to gauge how severe the infection is, and surgery remains possible:
A.J. Pollock is currently seeing doctors in L.A. about the infection in his elbow, Dave Roberts said. He will have an exploratory procedure today to determine the infection’s severity. Surgery could be deemed necessary and performed immediately.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) May 1, 2019
Pollock first fractured his elbow during a Spring Training game in 2010. It was the second year after he was drafted in the first round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he played in just 16 games during the Arizona Fall League after returning from the operation.
The procedure called for a plate and screw to be inserted in order to provide stability in the joint. Pollock suffered another fracture in Spring Training of 2016, which prompted a second surgery. The injury limited him to just 12 games that season.
It’s currently unclear what recovery or timetable would be necessary if the 31-year-old is to undergo a third operation.
Pollock has hit .223/.287/.330 with three doubles, one triple, two home runs and 14 RBI in 28 games this season. Despite his recent skid, the veteran center fielder maintained his confidence and expressed optimism the tide would eventually turn.
