The Los Angeles Dodgers not only endured more offensive struggles in a loss to the L.A. Angels on Friday night, but another injury as well when AJ Pollock came up lame in the sixth inning after an attempt to catch a sinking line drive.
It was the second such play Pollock attempted to make in the inning, with both dropping in front of him and resulting in a run scoring. Pollock was immediately removed from the game and replaced by Sheldon Neuse, who had pinch-hit for designated hitter Matt Beaty.
“Right now, as I understand it, it’s a Grade 1 (strain). So he’s day-to-day. It’s not, right now, an IL situation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the 9-1 loss.
“We’ll see how he comes in and how he feels. We’ll bring a player just to get some coverage if that needs to happen. Our hope is feels a little bit better and going forward. Right now it’s a hamstring strain, Grade 1, and we’ll evaluate [Saturday].”
Pollock previously avoided the IL earlier this season as he overcame left groin tightness. But at minimum, he presumably will be kept out of action on Saturday, and the Dodgers plan to make at least one roster move independent of his status.
“It will probably be a bullpen guy, so the odds are we’ll likely bring two guys for coverage — two position players,” Roberts said. “Make the move with the ‘pen, get back down to nine relievers and we’ll kind of see where AJ is at.”
DJ Peters, Luke Raley and Zach Reks are options currently on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster. If the club wishes to look beyond that group, they could call someone up and create room on the 40-man by transferring Dustin May to the 60-day IL.
Peters and Raley have already spent brief stretches up with the team this season.
Pollock heated up
On top of further cutting into what’s become razor-thin depth in the outfield, potentially losing Pollock would take one of the Dodgers’ better bats away. He recently refined some mechanics and turned a corner after a slow start to the season.
“A guy that you’re running out there as one of your core guys, you want to keep him on the field. I think it was best-case scenario being Grade 1,” Roberts said.
“For me to learn that it was a Grade 1, I think it’s best-case scenario. We’ll know more, but whatever comes our way we’ve got to be able to handle it.”
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