Just a couple of weeks before he will become a free agent, Dodgers outfielder David Peralta underwent surgery on his left arm that could affect his availability for the 2024 season.
The 36-year-old Peralta announced the surgery with a post-op photo on his Instagram account on Tuesday. The procedure was apparently a flexor tendon repair to address an issue Peralta had been playing with for much of the 2023 season.
Peralta underwent back surgery last fall and did not sign as a free agent until agreeing to a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Dodgers in February. By avoiding the injured list and spending over 150 days on the Dodgers’ active roster, Peralta added $1.5 million in bonuses to his salary.
A Gold Glove winner with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019, Peralta is one of three finalists for the award this year along with fellow left fielders Eddie Rosario of the Atlanta Braves and Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs.
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But playing with the injury appears to have affected Peralta’s offensive production, particularly his power.
Used almost exclusively against right-handed pitching, Peralta was hitting .283 with seven home runs and a .757 OPS at the All-Star break. In the second half, though, he hit just .231 with a .578 OPS. The last of his seven home runs came on July 8.
Peralta is expected to recover in time for the 2024 season but is not likely to be re-signed by the Dodgers.