Good news to start this 4th of July holiday, as the Diamondbacks will be getting back AJ Pollock. Pollock was originally placed on the 10-Day DL on May 15th due to a strained groin, missing 42 games. The Diamondbacks have done well in his absence, going 29-13 over that time frame, thanks to Gregor Blanco and Rey Fuentes providing better than expected contributions in center field. Now the team makes a big acquisition in the most crucial part of the schedule.
Pollock was an All-Star in 2015, and even though I don’t think he’s as good as he was 2 years ago, he’s still an above average starter at a very demanding position to play. In addition, his return solidifies the leadoff spot, where he has a .792 OPS vs. .702 for everyone else. Pollock brings the added dimension of stolen bases at the top of the order. The move allows for Pollock to get MLB plate appearances before the All-Star break and get the rust off before the games become much more important as the team looks to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011.