As broken by John Gambodoro and quickly confirmed by Jack Magruder, both on Twitter, the D-backs are planning to put infielder Geoff Blum on the Disabled List (no word yet on whether it's 15-day or 60-day, though I imagine 15-day is more likely). In a corresponding move, the team will purchase the contract of outfielder A.J. Pollock from Triple-A Reno. Details on what it all means after the jump... [Update: Taking Pollock's spot in Reno is outfielder Adam Eaton, just promoted from Double-A Mobile. Congrats to Adam as well!]
Blum is headed back to the DL after spending much of the 2011 season there. Nick Piecoro tweeted out that Blum's injury occurred during batting practice, as the infielder reportedly pulled a muscle in his side. It's an unfortunate twist (no pun intended) for Blum, who has just one hit - a single - and two walks in 14 plate appearances to begin the year. Still, it's not a secret that Blum is a favorite of D-backs manager Kirk Gibson, and the veteran figures to get more opportunities to contribute when he returns from the DL.
With uncertain prognoses for Justin Upton and Chris Young, the D-backs are adding a third healthy outfielder by bringing up Pollock, who has been hitting pretty well at Triple-A Reno thus far in 2012. It'll be interesting to see where exactly Pollock plays - he's been manning center field for Reno, but the D-backs have also shown some interest in giving Gerardo Parra some time in center field and this could be an opportunity to do so. I imagine Jason Kubel will man left one way or another - Pollock's and Parra's throwing arms are superior to Kubel's, so I would guess that they will respectively man center field and right field.
A bit more on Upton and Young, neither of whom were judged as needing placement on the DL just yet. Upton is going to sit out tomorrow's contest, but Gibson believes that Upton will not need 15 days to heal his injured thumb and naturally doesn't want to sideline his star any longer than necessary. Young, on the other hand, received x-rays that showed there is no break, and will have an MRI tomorrow to see if a DL stint is necessary. For the time being, it appears that Willie Bloomquist will be the club's fourth outfielder - unless, of course, Bloomquist starts in left with Kubel in right and Parra in center, with John McDonald as the regular shortstop.