Yankees rookie Dustin Fowler has no regrets over serious injury

NEW YORK – Dustin Fowler’s aggressive pursuit of a foul ball led to a devastating knee injury, but the Yankees' rookie outfielder harbored no regrets.

And he didn’t feel there was anything negligent on the part of the White Sox or MLB regarding the metal electrical box that he crashed into last Thursday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“I can’t say that I wouldn’t have been hurt if I didn’t hit it,’’ Fowler said Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, his first public appearance since suffering an open rupture of his right patella tendon. “I could have easily torn an ACL if I didn’t hit it."

“It’s easy to blame something like that, but right now I think it’s just unfortunate,’’ Fowler said. “I would have liked to have not hit it, and see what happened, but I’m not really blaming anyone or anything for it, how it happened or why it was there.’’

Yankees manager Joe Girardi was visibly upset at Fowler’s injury and – without casting blame – openly questioned the location of the knee-high metal box’s proximity to the low fence and why it at least hadn’t been padded.

Fowler, 22, is facing a four-to-six month rehab, but feels he should be completely ready by spring training.

“I had so much adrenaline going on, I was painless on the field,’’ Fowler said of the injury, which occurred in the first inning of his first major league game. “I was just thinking and I couldn’t believe what was going on.''

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Ji-Man arrives

Ji-Man Choi became the second Yankee to homer in his club debut this season, following Clint Frazier on Saturday at Houston.

Already the Yanks' seventh starting first baseman this year, Choi - who replaced Chris Carter, designated for assignment again - had swatted five homers in his last seven games at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and said “I’m happy with the start I had (Wednesday) and looking forward to building on it.’’ He hit five homers and batted .170 in 54 for games with the Angels in 2016, his first big-league season.

Choi, who spoke through an interpreter, joined Rob Refsnyder as the first pair of South Korea-born position players on the same club. He's the third Yankee from South Korea; Chan Ho Park pitched for the Yanks in 2010.

"Choi is going to get his chances,'' Girardi said, though Austin Romine is in the mix to start at first base against lefties. Choi, who was in spring training with the Yankees, abandoned switch-hitting then to concentrate on his natural left-handed side.

Holliday update

Matt Holliday took batting practice on the field and "that tells me he's feeling better,'' manager Joe Girardi said. "We're kind of excited about it.''

According to GM Brian Cashman, Holliday is not a candidate to be activated before the All-Star break. He's been sidelined since June 25 due to what the club has listed as a viral infection. On Wednesday, Holliday told the New York Post that he tested positive for the Espstein-Barr virus, which is related to mono.