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Former Dodgers outfielder AJ Pollock is a free agent after selecting to not train his participant choice with the White Sox for 2023, taking a $5 million buyout as a substitute of a $13 million wage. So he went into the offseason needing to make greater than $8 million to return out forward on his determination.
Whereas the free-agent market has been pretty brisk, Pollock hasn’t but signed, presumably the results of his .681 OPS (91 OPS+) in 2022. Previously an elite defensive center-fielder, Pollock is now a nook outfielder who didn’t hit like one final 12 months and turned 35 final month.
Whereas lots of L.A. followers would like to have Pollock again in blue, over on MLB Community, former Mariners star Harold Reynolds thinks Pollock is perhaps heading to a distinct staff within the Nationwide League West.
“I’m going Padres,” Reynolds stated. “Look they’re speaking about buying and selling Grisham. You’re speaking about Tatis taking part in within the outfield. That’s nonetheless not ever completed easily. I believe Pollock provides you a man that you recognize goes to catch the ball for you. He’s confirmed he can play at sporadic occasions, doesn’t must play on a regular basis. And I believe he’s a great match for what they want. So even when you don’t commerce Grisham, you find yourself having Pollock on that membership, who can play — I simply suppose they want any person that’s dependable like him who can assist out of their transition time.”
I’ve nothing however love for Pollock — he’s one in all my favourite individuals to play for the Dodgers in latest 12 months — but when I needed to make an inventory of fifty methods to explain him, I don’t suppose “a man that you recognize goes to catch the ball for you” would make the listing. If Pollock hits, he’s price having in your staff as a man who hopefully gained’t do an excessive amount of harm in left discipline; if he doesn’t hit, he’s unplayable.
So no, Pollock wouldn’t exchange Trent Grisham in heart if San Diego determined to trade him, and he doesn’t have a ton of bearing on Fernando Tatis Jr. taking part in the outfield. If the Padres suppose Tatis can deal with heart, they might go along with an outfield of Pollock in left, Tatis in heart, and Juan Soto in proper. If Pollock is true offensively, that could possibly be a wonderful outfield on the plate, but it surely has potential to be a trainwreck on protection.
Reynolds additionally misses the mark on Pollock proving he can “play at sporadic occasions.” Lower than 4 % of his profession plate appearances (158 out of 4,008) have come off the bench. It’s straightforward to see Pollock has solely topped 530 plate appearances in a season as soon as in his 11-year profession and assume meaning he’s a platoon participant, however essentially, he’s only a participant who’s been hurt a lot in his profession.
Might Pollock be a great bench participant? Maybe. But it surely’s not confirmed, as Reynolds suggests. So he is perhaps a great match for the Padres, however not for any of the explanations Harold stated.
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