Colton

Cowser

Cowser had sat the previous two games with a left-hander on the mound, but he’ll be in the starting lineup tonight with Blaze Alexander shifting to third base and Coby Mayo heading to the bench. This strict platoon usage makes it easier to roster Cowser in fantasy leagues with daily moves.

With Dylan Beavers back in the mix, we could start to see Taveras’ playing time start to dip a bit. The Orioles are rolling with Colton Cowser in center field and Beavers in right against Nationals’ right-hander Zack Littell on Sunday afternoon in Baltimore.

As a team, the Orioles were only able to scratch out three hits and three walks against Byran Woo and company, with Cowser the only member of the squad to reach base twice. The 26-year-old outfielder is now slashing .222/.313/.379 with seven long balls and 23 RBI in 177 plate appearances on the season.

Cowser tattooed a 2-1 fastball from Bryan Woo for a 416-foot (108.5-mph EV) solo shot that got the Orioles on the board and tied the score at one run apiece in the third inning. The 26-year-old outfielder is now slashing .227/.311/.397 with seven homers, 23 RBI and two stolen bases across 162 plate appearances on the season.

Cowser’s home run was his sixth. He hit a solo shot off Kevin Gausman in the fifth inning. He’s hit three home runs in his last seven games. With the Orioles facing seven right-handed starters next week, Cowser is a worthwhile add for power-needy teams.

Cowser had his right hand/wrist checked on by the trainer running into the wall in right in the contest, but his exit simply seemed to be a matchup thing, with Tyler O’Neill replacing him against a lefty reliever. There was no indication after the game that it was injury related.

Cowser has sat in each of the last two games and in four of the last six because the Orioles have been facing so many left-handed pitchers. The 26-year-old has started to turn things around, hitting .310/.383/.619 over his last 20 games with four home runs, 13 RBI, and one steal. That comes with a 12/5 K/BB ratio but just a 16.7 percent hard-hit rate. Given the hot streaks we’ve seen him go on, now is the time to pick him up with the Orioles set to face 10 straight right-handed pitchers.

Cowser plated a run with a ground out in the second inning that extended the O’s early advantage to 2-0. He then broke the game wide open in the third with a 424-foot (108.0 mph EV) three-run blast off of Spencer Miles that made it a 6-0 ballgame. He also walked in the ballgame, finishing the afternoon 2-for-3. His bat has started to show signs of life after a miserable start to the season, as he’s now hitting .227/.312/.364 with four homers and 18 RBI on the year.

Jackson gets the nod over Colton Cowser in right field and will make his first appearance away from the infield dirt this season after 48 games at second base to open the year. Jackson Holliday’s recent return as the club’s starting second baseman has complicated Baltimore’s infield picture, which means Jackson is probably going to wind up in a multi-position utility role moving forward.

Cowser hit for Tyler O’Neill in the seventh today and was 0-for-3 before cranking a 425-foot homer off Jesse Scholtens in his fourth plate appearance. Cowser also hit a three-run homer on Sunday to give the Orioles a 5-3 win over the Tigers. He’s hitting just .200/.287/.316 with three homers in 109 plate appearances on the season, but the big moments might pay off in the playing time department this week.