Dodgers OF A.J. Pollock may need surgery on infected elbow

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers say center fielder A.J. Pollock might need surgery because of an infection in his surgically repaired right elbow.

The NL champions put Pollock on the injured list before Tuesday night’s game in San Francisco.

The former All-Star and Gold Glove winner met with doctors in Los Angeles earlier in the day. Manager Dave Roberts said a procedure on Pollock’s elbow would determine the severity of the infection, and a decision on surgery could come Tuesday night.

“They’re going in to see how bad the infection is,” Roberts said. “Surgery is an option if they go in there and they feel the hardware needs to be taken care of or addressed.”

The 31-year-old Pollock signed a $55 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers in the offseason but has struggled at the plate. Pollock is batting .223 (23 for 109) with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 28 games. He is hitless in his last eight at-bats and did not play in Los Angeles’ first game in San Francisco on Monday night.

Pollock originally fractured his elbow diving for a ball in a 2010 exhibition game. A plate and screw were inserted in the elbow but Pollock re-injured his elbow in 2016 and was forced to undergo a similar surgery.

Infielder Matt Beaty was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.