Slugger Kyle Lewis feeling ‘big difference’ from injury-plagued past
LOS ANGELES — After years of having to manage knee problems, Diamondbacks slugger Kyle Lewis says he is getting closer to a point where he can play without having health on his mind.
“I always had to try to manage the steps and things like that,” Lewis said. “It made it hard to compete with an open mind. It’s been a big difference this year.”
Lewis showed on Friday night the kind of impact he can make when healthy, launching a go-ahead, pinch-hit home run to lift the Diamondbacks to a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Knee issues have followed Lewis, 27, since shortly after the Seattle Mariners made him the 11th overall pick in the 2016 draft. A month into his career, he was involved in a nasty collision at home plate, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial and lateral meniscus in his right knee.
He has needed multiple follow-up procedures on the knee in the ensuing years, and despite his obvious talent, the Mariners opted to trade him to the Diamondbacks in November in part because they felt they could not depend on him to be available to play on a consistent enough basis.
“It’s definitely disappointing, but I would say the team had a decision to make with their roster, too,” Lewis said of the end of his time in Seattle. “That’s kind of why, I guess, later in the year, things shook out how they do, and they had to make those decisions that they wanted to have a little more versatility and things like that. That’s why I can’t be upset with that kind of stuff.”
When he has been able to play, he has shown he can make an impact. He played 58 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, hitting .262/.364/.437 with 11 homers to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award. He played in only 54 games with the Mariners over the next two seasons.
The Diamondbacks’ plan seems to be to ease Lewis into regular action by giving him starts against left-handed starters and pinch-hit opportunities late in games. Whether that develops into more could depend on his production as well as his health.
Lewis says the roster construction — the Diamondbacks are carrying five outfielders — could play in his favor, allowing the club to easily give him a day off if he needs it. But he also hopes he can play far more than a part-time role.
“I think it would be hard for me to tell you what my availability is,” Lewis said. “I personally feel like I’ll be able to prepare myself every day to contribute to the team. Whatever it looks like, it looks like. But so far in spring I’ve been able to play, bounce back and play again. I’m happy with where I’m at. I feel like I should be ready to play almost every day, depending on where they need me. I’ll be ready for that.”
So far, Lewis has served only as a designated hitter and pinch-hitter, and though he did play a handful of games in left field during spring training, manager Torey Lovullo opted to sacrifice his designated hitter late in Friday night’s game rather than keep Lewis in on defense.
Lewis still wears a massive brace on his right knee, a reminder of the hurdles he has had to overcome. He believes his injuries have left him as something of a forgotten talent. He understands why, but he hopes to remind everyone of his ability soon enough.
“If you’re not out there,” he said, “then there’s nothing to talk about.”
He was out there on Friday night. And his swing left everyone talking.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: D-Backs slugger Kyle Lewis moving past years of knee problems
