TODAY: Pillar’s surgery will end his season, Roberts told Jack Harris and other reporters.
JUNE 4: Pillar has opted to undergo surgery, the outfielder told Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group (Twitter link). It isn’t yet known if a surgical procedure will indeed end Pillar’s 2022 season, though he will certainly be sidelined for most of the next four months.
JUNE 2: Dodgers outfielder Kevin Pillar has fractured his left shoulder, according to a club announcement. He’s been placed on the 10-day injured list, with utilityman Zach McKinstry recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his active roster spot.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) that Pillar is weighing his treatment options, with surgery a possibility. In any event, he’s likely to be out for a significant portion of time given the seriousness of the diagnosis. The team has yet to provide a timetable on his return, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the veteran outfielder is facing a months-long absence.
Pillar just made it onto the big league roster over the weekend. The 33-year-old signed a minor league deal with the club in Spring Training and locked in a prorated portion of a $2.5MM salary when he got to the majors. He appeared in only four games before suffering the fracture yesterday against the Pirates.
Prior to his call-up, the righty-hitting Pillar had absolutely mashed with Oklahoma City. Through 153 plate appearances in Triple-A, he’d been hitting .315/.412/.622 with nine home runs. His 13.1% walk rate was excellent, topping a minuscule 11.1% strikeout percentage. Pillar had a June 1 opt-out right under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, but the Dodgers elected to bring him to the majors rather than let him retest free agency. Unfortunately, he’ll be out of action just a few games into his MLB tenure with the organization. Pillar will hit free agency at the end of the season.
Tough luck. Hard to see a guy fight his way back to the big stage just to get hurt.
Agreed, hope he comes back strong this year. If not this year, then next.
He was already pretty close to done.
He’s a very good defender in a league where CF is thin. I thought the Dodgers signing him was a waste because he could have been a starter on many other teams (Marlins, Phillies for example).
Lol go look at his defensive and offensive stats then rethink that. He’s pretty damn overrated.
Tough deal for Pillar, especially after getting drilled in the face in 2021. After seeing that live, I’m surprised he came back at all, and now this. Gutsy guy if he can come back from this as well.
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He used to be a very good defender. Now he’s league average this year and last year slightly below. He’s not a CF anymore either. He did use to be Superman that can’t be denied
Yeah, I feel bad for him. He worked hard for the Mets last year. The only small financial silver lining is that, if he’s placed on the 60-day, he’ll continue to get paid at the major league rate without affecting the 40-man roster. He likely would’ve been a roster casualty when others were ready to return.
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t he have been guaranteed his prorated $2.5 million even if he was a roster casualty when people got healthy?
Agreed he’d get the pro-rated $2.5M regardless. In unmarked nonconsecutive twenties. No funny stuff.
Shame, that Pillar really tied the room together
Yeah, man, Pillar was always one of those pesky guys that seemed to always be right in the middle of a rally when playing the Yankees. Always a grinder, solid player.
Hate to see anyone get injured, especially guys that grind it out every day. Hope he’s able to recover well and return to the field post-recovery.
And last year, dude got hit in the face with a FB! Hard not to root for a guy like this.
Grinder for sure. The type a winning teams fan base would cherish during a special season.
It is a tough break. Someone else will have to shoulder the load.
How did it happen!?
I had to dig for it. MLBTR seldom says how injuries happen. Apparently it popped out and back in when he swung at a pitch and again when he was running the bases. Supposedly it’s happened several times during his career, once requiring surgery.
Never had any shoulder issues in Toronto. Very seldom was he hurt. He was a freaking warrior.
Ah shoot. At least I don’t have to see him in dodgers blue for a while.
Sorry to hear of Kevin Pillar’s injury. Always plays the game the right way, we can’t afford this type of stand up guy.
Was he one of the Mets who gave fans the thumbs down last year?
Yes, but imo, that whole thing got blown way out of proportion, and I say that as a Mets fan. It was a rough stretch for the team, and both the fans and players were just frustrated. As a fan, you can’t take yourself too seriously, especially when the players are standing up for each other. Here’s Pillar directly addressing it, too:
https://twitter.com/KPILLAR4/status/1432122038915846146
I don’t know how any Mets fan could hold any ill will towards Pillar, who plays hard and was back in soon after getting his nose broken by a pitch.
I think he has 6 years after this 1, doesn’t he get some kind of pension after 5
He was stoked to play for his hometown Dodgers. Bummer he did so poorly in 4 games because it didn’t make Dodger fans happy. It reminds me of when Doug Mientkiewicz injured his shoulder (ending his career) while with the Dodgers in 2009. He said something like it was a dream to play for Joe Torre, and that he messed it up with a dumb slide.
I had totally forgotten that Joe Torre managed the Dodgers.
Dodger fans tried to
Tried to forget the two division titles he won in three years? The reason these teams didn’t go deeper wasn’t because of Torre, it was because of the lousy ownership. That’s what I can’t forget about those years.
Was he one of the Mets who gave fans the thumbs down last year?
That was Lindor and Javier Baez. Pillar took a pitch to the face and smiled.
Pillar also did it, but who cares lol. Just an overblown media circus.
Pillar was indeed one of the thumbs-down crew. I don’t think it was a coincidence none of them were resigned. They had no choice with Lindor. But look at the Mets clubhouse now. They’re a well-oiled machine. A collapse is still possible, but I don’t see it. This is a very good team.
That was sad news, hearing that he was one of the thumbs-down crew. The fans really liked him, especially after he took the ball in the face.
A warrior
That stinks. I recall reading something here that he grew up a Dodger fan and it sounded like he may have wanted to end his career as a Dodger. Just not like this, I presume.
Tough break.
kind of guy any team roots for. could have been on the roster of a lot of teams around the league and really wanted to play for his hometown team. at least he got that opportunity even if it was short lived for the moment. damn
Hate to hear this. Tough hard nose player. Made some fantastic diving catches over the years.
Does anyone know why they put players with serious injuries on the 10 day IL first even when they know it will be much longer ?
2nd and 3rd opinions plus scans and x-rays don’t always show the damage accurately in the initial few days.
Always a fan favorite in Toronto. Gave it all and left his heart on his sleeve. The family is all Pillar fans. The guy would go all out if it was 12-1 lead or 12-1 score trailing. Didn’t dog it down the line to first. His intense competitive nature was admired. Hated how he ended up leaving the Jays. He was always doing charity work in community and was at Sick Kids hospital. Great person. Either way quick recovery KP you will always have fans in Toronto. BTW – Loved the game where he stole 3 bases against the Yankees.
Agreed 100%
Mckinistry built my hotrod
Hope he gave that fractured left shoulder a big thumbs down.
Liked Pillar in Boston the short time he was there. Hopefully the Dodgers or another team give him a chance to comeback next spring
Love Pillar. This sucks. Hopefully speedy recovery and back next year