Colton Cowser won the AL Most Outstanding Rookie Award last season with a 122 OPS+. The Orioles could desperately use that production right now, but can the Milk Man Deliver?
The Orioles have suffered a laundry list of injuries this season. Baltimore’s disappointing record cannot be attributed to the loss of one player, but the Birds have felt the loss of guys like Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg, Grayson Rodriguez, and several others.
Cowser joined the Orioles last night after missing almost the entire season up to this point. The 25-year-old made it through only 18 plate appearances before breaking his thumb while diving into first base.
Cowser immediately made his mark with a deep fly in his first game back against Seattle.
Everyone knew losing Cowser was a blow, but few expected Baltimore to fall completely out of contention before The Milk Man returned. Unfortunately, even with Westburg, Ramón Laureano and Tyler O’Neill all working their way back soon, the Birds remain far from full strength. Recent injuries to Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle continued the snake bitten trend of 2025.
New skipper Tony Mansolino said yesterday that the Orioles will ease Cowser back into things, but the loss of Mullins makes that difficult. Baltimore has not thrown in the towel on this season yet, and a productive Cowser would provide the team a boost in the month of June.
So what exactly are the Orioles getting back with Cowser? The former first-round pick feels like a lineup staple already, but he has only 183 career games under his belt. Cowser should have won the AL Rookie of the Year award last season after posting a .242/.321/.447 line. He settled for the AL Most Outstanding Rookie award from his peers instead.
Cowser posted a 122 OPS+ and a 3.1 bWAR. He hit 24 homers, drove in 69 runs, and played above-average defense in multiple outfield positions. The 2025 Orioles could obviously use a player like that, but can Cowser replicate the results?
Let’s take a peek back at the season preview for Cowser. ZiPS projected a steady .252/.340/.426 line, while PECOTA projected a slightly disappointing .230/.320/.391. What about the real experts? Eighty-six percent of you predicted a .766 OPS or better for Cowser this season.
Heston Kjerstad has failed to take a step forward this year, and the loss of Mullins stings. Jackson Holliday has taken to the leadoff spot, but Adley Rutschman has struggled in the two hole. There’s room at the top of the order for Cowser if he performs, and there’s a glaring need in center field.
At a minimum, Cowser’s return should severely reduce the temptation to play Jorge Mateo in the outfield. Cowser can handle a majority of the responsibilities in center with Dylan Carlson filling in when needed. Cowser profiles as a Gold Glove caliber player down the road. This time without Mullins could serve as a preview for what’s in store next season—or even the second half—but that’s far too depressing to think about right now.
Cowser probably won’t eclipse his 24 homers from last season, but he’s a legitimate power threat for a lineup that hasn’t left the yard as frequent as expected. The Orioles entered last night’s game 14th in the league with 62 homers after falling only two short of the league lead last season. With 10 homers, Mullins is the only Oriole to reach double digit long balls so far this year, and he’s currently sidelined with a hamstring issue.
Sophomore slumps exist, and two months on the shelf could certainly lead to some rust, but Cowser looked sharp in his rehab stint at Triple-A. Nobody should expect Cowser to save the season, but the return of several key contributors could provide a total offensive reset.
The Orioles need plenty of things to go right if they plan to climb back to .500 this season, and getting Cowser back feels like a step in the right direction.