Dustin Fowler makes his Oakland Athletics debut

Nearly a year after making his major-league debut, Oakland A’s prospect Dustin Fowler finally received his first MLB at-bat.

The A’s recalled Fowler on Wednesday after placing right-hander Trevor Cahill on the 10-day disabled list with an impingement in his right elbow. Fowler didn’t start in the A’s 4-1 loss to the Houston Astros, but he had a pinch-hit at-bat in the seventh inning. He lined out softly to second against Houston reliever Will Smith.

Fowler was acquired by the A’s as part of the package they received for right-hander Sonny Gray at last year’s trade deadline. Fowler didn’t play for the A’s last season because a month before the trade, he had ruptured his patella tendon when he slammed into a wall in right field in the first inning of his major-league debut. Fowler, who hadn’t hit yet in that game, missed the rest of the season.

At the time of Fowler’s call-up, he was batting .310/.333/.484 with three home runs and eight stolen bases. He was third in the PCL in stolen bases. Fowler will make his first start for the A’s on Friday against, you guessed it, Sonny Gray.

For more on Fowler’s debut and the A’s trip to New York, please read my article in The Athletic ($): https://theathletic.com/348879/2018/05/09/dustin-fowler-set-to-return-home-to-new-york-as-as-depart-on-daunting-roadtrip/