A.J. Pollock out a few days, but setback not believed to be serious

Nick Piecoro | The Republic | azcentral.com

The Diamondbacks do not appear to believe the right quadriceps tightness that cut short A.J. Pollock’s rehab game on Monday night is serious, but the club is holding their center fielder out of action with Triple-A Reno for at least the next three days.

Pollock, who has been out for nearly five weeks with a right groin injury, departed after playing the field in the top of the first inning. It was the second game of his rehab assignment; he played five innings on Saturday, going 1 for 2 with a double and a walk.

“He’s been asking his body to do an awful lot on a daily basis,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “(On Monday) his body said, ‘Hold on, not so fast.’ We want to make sure that he’s going to be OK. So we pulled back a little bit.”

Lovullo said Pollock went through agility drills and baseball activity on Tuesday, will take Wednesday and will again do pregame work on Thursday, at which point the team will evaluate him.

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“This was just some general tightness that he felt,” Lovullo said. “It was something he had felt in pregame. I don’t think it was any one movement that created this. I just think it was fatigue.”

Lovullo said Pollock was not sent for an MRI or further testing beyond the training staff’s examination.

Pollock has not played since May 14, but the Diamondbacks have played well in his absence, going 23-8 – the best record in baseball – while he’s been out.

Godley to start Thursday

As expected, right-hander Zack Godley will get the start in Thursday’s series finale against the Rockies, with lefty Patrick Corbin getting pushed back to start on Friday at Chase Field against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Godley has been terrific for the Diamondbacks this year, posting quality starts in six of his eight outings. It makes sense that the club would prefer to line him up against the division-rival Rockies, particularly given Corbin’s struggles against them – and his struggles at Coors Field – the past couple of seasons.

Corbin has allowed 16 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings at Coors Field the past two years.

“We examine a lot of things here,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “This organization does a great job of paying attention to the important things that allow these guys to be successful. We felt like Zack would step in on Thursday and do his job and that Patrick could pick it up on the first day of the homestand on Friday.”

Country connection

Manager Torey Lovullo is thankful the baseball calendar played out the way it did, with the Diamondbacks in Denver on Tuesday, the same night Joe West will be behind the plate umpiring his 5,000th career game.

Lovullo said his father, Sam, and West had developed a friendship over the past 15 to 20 years due to their country music connections. Sam Lovullo was a producer on the TV show “Hee Haw,” while West has released two country music albums.

Sam passed away in January, and West spoke at the funeral service in Nashville.

“It seems like baseball lines things up every once in a while in a very special way,” Lovullo said. “The fact that I’m here on the field for his 5,000th game is touching to me. I’m honored to be here. And I’m going to congratulate him, obviously, on a very special moment.”

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Wednesday’s game

Diamondbacks at Rockies

When: 5:40 p.m.

Where: Coors Field, Denver.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (5-3, 3.32) vs. Rockies RHP Jeff Hoffman (4-0, 2.25).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Walker gave up just one run in five innings in Detroit last week, his first start in nearly a month due to a blister on his right index finger. He showed no ill-effects from the blister, striking out six, walking just one and allowing just six hits. … He pitched at Coors Field earlier this season, giving up three runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings. It was just the second start of his career in Denver. … Hoffman has split time between Triple-A and the big leagues, but he’s been terrific during his time in the majors this season. He’s given up just three earned runs in 18 1/3 innings in his past three starts, walking four and striking out 19. … He faced the Diamondbacks once last season and was hit hard, allowing seven runs (four earned) in 4 2/3 innings. … Hoffman has a fastball that averages 95 mph to go with curveball, slider and the occasional change-up.

Coming up

Thursday: At Colorado, 12:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (2-1, 2.34) vs. Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (9-2, 4.10).

Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (6-6, 5.19) vs. Phillies TBA.

Saturday: At Chase Field, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (7-3, 2.87) vs. Phillies RHP Ben Lively (1-1, 3.33).