Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Free Agent Outfielder, AJ Pollock, came to terms on a contract. The contract is for 4-years, $55 million. Included in that deal are multiple incentives and escalators, as well as an opt-out clause after his third season. All in all, Pollock can potentially earn much more money but those details are not yet known.
What does this mean for the Dodgers? The Dodgers goal of this offseason was to balance their lineup. Last year, the Dodgers starting lineup was very lefty dominant. Since trading away Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, the only right handed players left were: Kiké Hernandez, Chris Taylor, Justin Turner and David Freese. Now that the Dodgers have finally signed Pollock, they can relax a little and know that they are bringing in a very talented player.
Since debuting in 2011, AJ Pollock has had a respectable career that would look even better if not for injuries. Pollocks career numbers are as follows:
- .281 Batting Average
- 74 Home Runs
- All Star in 2015
- Gold Glove award winner
What is most impressive are AJ Pollock’s career numbers in terms of righty and lefty matchups. Not mention he is a career .283 hitter when batting leadoff. He is also very consistent against both types of pitchers.
- VS Righties: .284 Batting Average and 44 Home Runs
- VS Lefties: .275 Batting Average and 30 Home Runs
These numbers are promising as the Dodgers have really lacked that consistent bat in the lineup. Besides Justin Turner, no one else was that consistent last season. Of course that will hopefully change this year when Corey Seager returns to the team.
Surely, if Pollock can stay healthy for an entire season, his numbers will be great. This was one thing that hurt Pollock during this free agency period. Pollock has not had the best luck when on the field. He has broken his thumb, fractured his elbow and strained his groin. These injuries have limited him in recent years but these injuries are freak accidents and not chronic issues. Fingers crossed that Pollock can stay healthy for most of the season.
With all that said, Welcome to the Los Angeles Dodgers, AJ!
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