Dustin Fowler‘s time with the Oakland A’s had come to an end before it really had a chance to begin. He had been a part of the A’s return for Sonny Gray in a trade that ended up as a disaster for both teams, with none of the players involved panning out as hoped. Fowler himself had just 69 games in Oakland in 2018, failing to return to the majors afterward.
His time in Oakland was at an end, as he was designated for assignment when the Trevor Rosenthal signing became official. However, Oakland found a taker for his services, as Fowler has been sent to Pittsburgh for the ever popular cash considerations.
The Pirates have acquired OF Dustin Fowler from the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 25, 2021
Dustin Fowler gets third chance to make first impression
Fowler’s career appeared to be over before it began. He had made his major league debut in 2017, but it did not even last a full inning before he was carted off the diamond with a serious injury. He had ruptured a tendon in his knee on an unpadded electrical box sticking out of the outfield wall, requiring emergency surgery.
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He worked his way back to the majors, earning an extended look in 2018. Unfortunately, he was unable to do much in that time, posting a disappointing .224/.256/.354 batting line in his 203 plate appearances. While he did hit six homers, Fowler also had just three doubles and eight walks, not showing enough at the plate to justify another chance.
Fowler did, however, have a respectable showing in AAA in 2019. He posted a solid enough .277/.333/.477 batting line in his 606 plate appearances, hitting 25 homers and 22 doubles while stealing 12 bases. With his strong defense, and ability to all three spots in the outfield, Fowler is the type of player that could have been a decent bench option.
Now he will have that chance with the Pirates. For Pittsburgh, he is a reasonable gamble. This is a team that is looking for potential building blocks, and the former top prospect could be someone they can use going forward. He is likely to get those chances he otherwise would not have received in Oakland.
Dustin Fowler is heading to the Pittsburgh Pirates. With this trade, he is getting a third chance to make a first impression.