The Cubs' mantra for then lead-off man Dexter Fowler during their World Series run of 2016 was, "you go, we go". After enduring just about the worst season he could possibly have in 2018, things are going right for Fowler, and the Cardinals are going right along with him.
Fowler's dismal 2018 is well documented, so I won't belabor the point, but here's all you need to know.
Career lows in: AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS and WAR, coupled with a season cut short by injury. Everything that could go wrong, did.
The usually effervescent Fowler looked like a completely different person in 2018. His trademark grin was gone, save for a few rare moments.
This season, Fowler looks more like the player the Cardinals thought they were getting when they signed the outfielder following the 2016 season.
Coming into Monday, Fowler was hitting .316 with an on-base percentage of .419 and an OPS of .850. As of Monday he's also ranked number 10 among all National League position players in WAR this season.
Fowler has six doubles through 25 games in 2019. He had ten all of last year.
The power hasn't quite shown up like it did during his first season in St. Louis in 2017 when he hit a career high 18 homers, but he's looking confident with each at-bat.
For Fowler, he always knew he'd find his swing again.
"I've worked hard all my career," Fowler said in the locker room last week. "You have your ups and downs, but God is good. He's looking after me at all times."
This season, Fowler has been getting regular playing time, even sliding back over to center field while Harrison Bader was on the injured list.
"When I first got out there (to center field) I thought this is crazy," Fowler said. "Going back from right to center I was like, there's a lot of ground to cover," he laughed.
Fowler's teammates aren't surprised he's been able to bounce back so far this season.
"He's a professional baseball player," Jose Martinez said in the locker room last week. "He knows how to win and he knows how to play baseball. I knew he'd perform like this and there's more to come."
His teammates aren't the only ones who've backed Fowler this season. The Cardinals fan base has also rallied around Dexter for the most part, after he faced the full wrath of their fury last year.
"It was great," Fowler said of the crowd's reaction to his recent four hit game. "Especially as hard as they've been on me. It's good to see the other side of it."
We'll have to wait and see just how much playing time Fowler continues to get with Bader back off the IL and Jose Martinez swinging a red-hot bat.
If he continues his impressive start, it'll be hard to keep him out of the lineup.