The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of a six-game road trip but for AJ Pollock, their Father’s Day matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks represents an opportunity to be home as he lives in the Phoenix area during the offseason.
This is a second year of Pollock being a father, but the date is much less stressful than in 2020. Pollock’s wife, Kate, gave birth three months premature to their daughter, Maddi, who spent months in the hospital before being cleared to head home with the couple.
“We have so much fun with Maddi. She’s getting to that point where she’s exploring everything and kind of starting to stand up a little bit on furniture,” Pollock said Saturday. “When I get to see her it’s the highlight of my day.”
While Pollock is enjoying every bit of being a dad, Father’s Day had him thinking of others. “First and foremost my father,” answered the veteran outfielder when asked what the day means to him.
“He was such a pivotal figure in my baseball career. He would have long days and we’d go over to the batting cage and he would throw me BP for two hours. Now that I’m a dad, I see things way differently. I kind of see things from a father’s perspective. It’s a special day, for sure.”
As for lessons learned during fatherhood, Pollock said, “Probably how incredible moms are. I mean, their jobs are way harder than a father’s job. I think it’s just patience and never underestimate a good mom.”
The 33-year-old is among several fathers on the Dodgers roster, each of whom manager Dave Roberts has periodically discussed the importance of being a parent with.
“The theme that I share with a lot of guys is you are how you are now, and once you become a father, your views, thoughts and things you’re so stubborn or bullish about, will change,” Roberts said.
“I’ve also revisited those conversations with guys that became fathers that we had years ago.”
Pollock feels close with simple approach
On top of facing concerns with his daughter being born prematurely last year, Pollock also dealt with a case of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Playing the 2020 season required the ability to focus on the task at hand when with the team and what Pollock said was a much more simple approach on his part.
“Has it been difficult? Yeah. Nothing is easy in this game,” he said of maintaining that viewpoint. “Just show up to the ballpark, do my pregame, and it feels pretty good.
“I felt really good before the injury and then had to deal with that. Came back and like I said, it’s been a little inconsistent getting back into the flow of things, but it’s right there.”
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