The loss of Cowser stings, but the Orioles made a significant effort to boost their outfield depth over the offseason.
The Orioles received another dose of injury news after Colton Cowser attempted to leg out an infield single on Sunday. With the Orioles trailing by one, Cowser hustled down the line and dove head first into first base. Cowser nearly beat the covering pitcher to the bag, but Cowser’s thumb bent all the way back as it reached the base. The Orioles eventually announced that Cowser could miss two months of baseball with a fractured thumb.
Every little leaguer knows you’re not supposed to dive into first base. The move does not allow the runner to reach the bag faster, and the decision increases the risk of injury. The message checks out with Cowser being called out at the base and suffering a significant setback.
The play generated a negative outcome, but it immediately took me back to one of my favorite Camden Yards memories over the last few years. Last August, Cowser stepped to the plate with two on, two out, and the Orioles trailing the Astros 2-0 in the sixth inning. Cowser grounded a Framber Valdez fastball to first base for what should have been the final out of the inning.
Instead, Cowser sprinted down the line, dove head first, and beat Jon Singleton’s foot to the bag. A Saturday crowd of 35,302 erupted as the speedy outfielder was ruled safe. Watching from the first base side, I jumped out of my seat and mimicked the umpire’s emphatic “safe” signal.
Anyone that recalls Cowser hustling to first certainly remembers the next play. Jackson Holliday stepped to the plate and delivered a bases-clearing double to provide the Orioles a one-run advantage. The Orioles won the game 3-2.
The Orioles will miss Cowser this spring, and Brandon Hyde may instruct the 25-year-old to simply run through the bag in the future, but few will blame the second-year player for attempting to steal momentum in a close game. For now, the Orioles must find a way to replace the youngster’s production in the lineup.
Baltimore went out of its way to acquire significant outfield depth with a focus on players that can man all three positions. The O’s inked Ramón Laureano to a major-league deal, shelled out nearly one million dollars to stash Dylan Carlson at Triple-A, and purchased Daz Cameron from Oakland.
Laureano broke camp with the team, and Baltimore recalled Carlson after Cowser went down. Both possess the ability to play center field and hit left-handed pitching. However, the duo should remain bench bats moving forward.
Cedric Mullins started the season 7-for-20 with a pair of homers and 10 RBIs. Mullins, playing in a contract year, figured to sit in a majority of games against lefty starters. Will the combination of losing a beloved player and Mullins’ hot start lead to more appearances against southpaws?
Everyone knows Hyde loves to play the matchups—most managers do—but Mullins carries himself like the captain of this baseball club. If the 30-year-old performs close to his All-Star play in 2021, Mullins could cement himself in the lineup on a daily basis.
Even with a potential platoon, Cowser figured to play the corners with Mullins starting every game against a right-hander. The Orioles acquired Tyler O’Neill to replace the loss of Anthony Santander, but O’Neill’s presence should help offset the loss of Cowser’s production in the corners.
O’Neill has already found his way into Orioles folklore. The Canadian slugger made national news with his sixth consecutive homer on Opening Day. O’Neill bested Santander at the plate over the first four games of the season, and he ingratiated himself to the fans at Camden Yards with a 4-for-4 day in the home opener.
O’Neill arrived in Baltimore with an injury-prone reputation, but the Orioles appear ready to lean on the 29-year-old for as long as he holds up. His early production could have led to fewer appearances for Heston Kjerstad, but the Cowser injury should open up a few more at bats for the former first-round pick.
Kjerstad elicits fan outrage in a way that makes Jahmai Jones look like the last kid picked on the playground. For whatever reason, Kjerstad has struggled to break through as an everyday player. Now, with one young outfielder sidelined for 6-8 weeks, the 26-year-old Kjerstad figures to receive an uptick in playing time.
Hyde will make an effort to get Laureano and Carlson in the lineup, but Carlson could return to Triple-A as soon as this week. The Orioles will face a roster crunch with Gunnar Henderson returning, and it’s unlikely that Baltimore moves on from Jorge Mateo or Ramón Urías this early in the season.
Laureano benefited from regular playing time down the stretch with Atlanta this year, but he still only factors in as a platoon option right now. All of Baltimore’s depth signings look smart with Cowser already sidelined, but the players already expected to perform should carry the load in the short term.