Los Angeles Angels starting rightfielder Dexter Fowler has a torn left ACL that requires seasonal surgery, the team announced on Sunday.
Fowler, 35, injured himself while sprinting to second base on a force out attempt in Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida. Fowler defeated the throw of Blue Jay’s shortstop Bo Bichette and didn’t slide, arriving awkwardly and falling to the ground in pain.
The Angels initially determined that Fowler had a sprained left knee, but a follow-up MRI revealed it was much more serious. The team said Fowler is expected to take six to nine months to recover after surgery.
Angels manager Joe Maddon said he plans to replace Fowler with Juan Lagares and Jose Rojas, the latter of whom is currently serving as a utility infielder. Rojas started at third base on Sunday in place of Anthony Rendon, who was dealing with pain in his left groin as a result of a throw on Saturday.
Fowler, who was taken over from the St. Louis Cardinals in early February, was 5-for-20 with six strikeouts to start the 2021 season, hitting .218 / .320 / .370 for the past three years. But Maddon, who previously led Fowler with the Chicago Cubs, said he believed the outfielder was just underway offensively and will miss his presence on the team.
“He’s one of those glue makers, man,” Maddon said. ‘He really makes a difference. He does. You talk about it with clubhouse guys all the time, but this guy really is one. ‘
Fowler’s injury provides an immediate opening for the Angels’ two most promising young players, Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh, who both train at the team’s alternate venue in Tempe, Arizona, before the minor league season begins. Adell struggled as a rookie last year and Marsh has yet to play above Double-A after spending the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season playing mostly intrasquad games.
Maddon said he would delay the Angels’ development staff when Adell and Marsh are ready for the Major League.
“I can hardly imagine that they have sharpened their game [from spring training] to the point where you want to bring them up, ”Maddon said.