D-backs lose Steven Souza Jr. to season-ending knee injury after slip at home plate
The Arizona Diamondbacks will be without a key member of their lineup after veteran outfielder Steven Souza Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury on a freak play at home plate during Monday’s exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox.
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Souza was diagnosed with torn ACL, LCL, PCL and a posterior lateral capsule tear in his left knee after slipping on home plate while scoring on a double by Ketel Marte.
The news of the day - Steven Souza Jr.'s injury / here's what we know now and what was said in the clubhouse today pic.twitter.com/XjfpVEbDLX
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) March 26, 2019
A fan in attendance posted video of the play. You can view that here.
Everything about the play looked routine. Souza broke from second and rounded third base without any issues. However, once he reached home plate his foot appeared to slip causing his knee to bend awkwardly.
"Just a very unfortunate incident," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after the game. "I saw the tracks on home plate; I saw the tracks leaving home plate. He just slid across home plate. These athletes are so amazing and strong, that when you put some added force on some cleats, you just don't know how it's going to respond.”
"We have practiced hitting home plate and bases a hundred times. That's what's so heartbreaking about this. ... The only thing I remember is him flying across the air."
The Arizona Republic notes that Souza was wearing plastic spikes when the slip occurred. Ironically, Lovullo said earlier in the day he had a conversation with general manager Mike Hazen about whether the team should require players to wear metal spikes.
Souza, 29, joined the Diamondbacks last season in a blockbuster three-team trade involving the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees. He was limited to 72 games after suffering a pectoral injury late in spring training. He was coming off a career season in Tampa Bay, where he slugged 30 homers and drove in 78 runs.
The D-backs were counting on Souza even more this season after trading perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals and losing A.J. Pollock to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. Now they’ll be forced to replace a third important piece of the lineup.
The D-backs will open their season Thursday afternoon when they visit the Dodgers.
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