Yankees prospect Dustin Fowler suffers major knee injury in first big-league inning
Young outfielder is surely facing a lengthy absence
By
Dayn Perry
•
1 min read
In his first major-league inning on Thursday night, Yankees outfielder Dustin Fowler suffered a major knee injury:
Dustin Fowler has an open rupture of right patella tendon in right knee. Will have surgery tonight at Rush U Med Center in Chicago.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 30, 2017
That's a gruesome-sounding injury, and without question it will necessitate a lengthy recovery period. Fowler sustained the injury while hustling after a fly ball down the line against the White Sox:
Just a heartbreaking scene for the #Yankees Dustin Fowler, who had to leave the game due to injury in his @MLB debut. pic.twitter.com/dal7DOAukN
— 120 Sports (@120Sports) June 30, 2017
Once Fowler tried to put weight on the leg, you could tell it was likely serious. This image says it all ...
Joe Girardi's reaction is simply heartbreaking after Fowler's leg injury in the first inning pic.twitter.com/xCvzo53C6E
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) June 30, 2017
And here's Fowler being carted off to some warm applause ...
#WhiteSox medical team with Dustin Fowler on the stretcher taking him off the field. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/z90JuP6S9u
— Carl A. Martinez (@TheCnotes) June 30, 2017
The 22-year-old and former 18th-rounder earned a call-up on the strength of his .293/.329/.542 line at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In 70 games this season Fowler had 13 home runs and 19 doubles while also showing some speed on the bases. To put Fowler's upside in perspective, there's this ...
Over the last month, six evaluators have said they prefer Dustin Fowler to Clint Frazier. Not an insult to Frazier. Fowler is widely adored.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 30, 2017
This is of course a big blow to the Yankees, who are still very much in the race in the AL East, but it's an even bigger blow to Fowler personally. In an instant, he saw one of the most memorable nights of his life turn into one of the most regrettable. Here's hoping that he fights his way back to the majors as soon as possible.
