MESA, Ariz. — Dustin Fowler’s first game back from a last year’s season-ending knee injury was a success, but one play gave him a quick flashback on that brutal injury.
In the fourth inning of Sunday’s 4-4 tie against the Royals, Fowler fouled a pitch from Jake Newberry that bounced in the dirt and jumped back up to hit his knee. It was the same right knee he spent months rehabbing since the devastating injury he sustained last June.
The impact was very light and Fowler roped a single into right field soon after. But feeling the ball make contact with the knee gave Fowler a small reminder of how far he’s come to get back.