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D-backs' Souza to undergo season-ending surgery after freak knee injury

Norm Hall / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery to repair an ACL tear, LCL tear, partial PCL tear, and posterior lateral capsule tear in his left knee, manager Torey Lovullo revealed Tuesday.

Souza suffered the injury slipping on home plate while attempting to score in a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox on Monday.

"It's a sad day for all of us, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and especially Steven Souza," Lovullo told 98.7 Arizona Sports. "He went down playing the game full speed like he always has and just a freak injury."

Souza only managed to play in 72 games for Arizona in 2018 due to numerous pectoral strains. The Diamondbacks acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays after a 2017 campaign that saw him hit 30 home runs.

The team was counting on a productive season from Souza with former franchise cornerstone Paul Goldschmidt now with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Arizona signed five-time All-Star Adam Jones earlier this month to provide depth in the outfield, but the club is likely to use Jones exclusively in right field now, with Ketel Marte in center and David Peralta in left.

Zack Cozart and Kyle Schwarber are two more recent examples of players suffering knee injuries that included significant damage to the ACL and LCL. For Cozart, the recovery time was about eight months while Schwarber needed just under seven months.

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