Diamondbacks: A.J. Pollock Worth Picking Up?
By Bill Pivetz
Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock will be returning to action in a couple of weeks. Should fantasy owners add him for the final month of the season?
The Arizona Diamondbacks outfielders are not hitting well this season. Yasmany Tomas is hitting very well, but the other two players are struggling. In what many thought would be a season-ending injury, A.J. Pollock is on track to return by the end of the month. If so, is he worth adding to your team for the final month?
Pollock has been dealing with an elbow injury since last season. It ended up being an elbow fracture and he underwent surgery on April 8. He did not participate in baseball activities for the next three months.
He faced live pitching for the first time on August 3. Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said that Pollock could join the team before Sept. 1. With the kind of player Pollock was last season, he could be a major factor in fantasy leagues.
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In 175 games, he hit .315/.367/.498 with 20 home runs, 76 RBI, 39 steals and a 89:53 K:BB ratio. The combination of power, contact and speed is something only the top players have, and even then not all of them possess that.
As I mentioned, Tomas is hitting well. He is hitting .272 with 21 home runs and 48 RBI. Veteran Michael Bourn isn’t the same player he was just a few years ago. The Diamondbacks right fielder David Peralta underwent season-ending wrist surgery on Thursday, so the offense can definitely use Pollock back in the lineup.
Pollock went 1-for-4 as the DH in his first minor league game on August 5. It will obviously take him a while to get back into MLB form, so don’t expect huge results during his first week of play.
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If you have a roster spot available, Pollock is worth a stash, whether on the bench or DL. He’s already being added in fantasy leagues. His ownership is up to 48.3 percent. With players of his caliber few and far between on the waiver wire, I would do whatever I can to add Pollock to my team.