Colton

Cowser

It’s notable that O’Neill has started just half of Baltimore’s eight games on the young season and he’s been out of the lineup for three straight. It’ll be Dylan Beavers and Colton Cowser continuing to get opportunities to play regularly with reclamation project Leody Taveras getting some unexpected run in center field at the moment.

Even with right-hander Bailey Ober on the bump, Cowser will get a Sunday breather for the finale. Dylan Beavers will instead patrol center field and hit eighth in Cowser’s absence.

Cowser is batting .237/.275/.289 with 15 strikeouts in 40 plate appearances. His status as the Orioles’ primary center fielder hasn’t really come into question, but maybe it should, given that he hit just .196/.269/.385 in 92 games during a miserable 2025 in which he suffered a broken thumb and a concussion. Really, though, unless the Orioles want to sacrifice a fair amount of defense by playing Dylan Beavers in between Taylor Ward and Tyler O’Neill, they’re just going to have to hope that Cowser starts making more contact.

Ward is a perfectly solid first-division regular, coming off a season in which he hit .228/.317/.475 with 36 homers and 103 RBI. Still, moving on from Rodríguez’s considerable long-term upside when they could have more easily signed a veteran bat suggests that the Orioles just don’t feel very good about his long-term outlook. Ward, who has one year left of arbitration before free agency, figures to step in as Baltimore’s starting left fielder, leaving two outfield spots and some DH at-bats to be divided among Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Tyler O’Neill and anyone else who might emerge like Heston Kjerstad or Enrique Bradfield Jr. From a fantasy standpoint, it’s a slight downgrade for Ward. Camden Yards sis a less appetizing ballpark for right-handed power hitters, despite recent changes to end the “Walltimore” era in left field. While the Orioles’ lineup is unquestionably stronger than the Halos’, Ward likely hits lower in the order than he would have in Anaheim, which could cap his counting-stat upside in the short term. He’s a top-40 range outfielder heading into fantasy drafts next spring.

O’Neill had the day off on Tuesday as the Orioles continue to manage his at-bats following a right wrist injury. The 30-year-old has gone 2-for-11 in his three games since coming back with three strikeouts and one RBI. It’s hard to trust him right now in fantasy leagues. Colton Cowser will be on the bench Tuesday with Jordan Westburg moving from DH to second base and Jeremiah Jackson shifting to the outfield.

Cowser gave the Orioles a three-run cushion with his two-run shot off Tyler Alexander. It’s the 16th homer of the season for the 25-year-old, and he’s driven in just 38 runs over his 82 games. Cowser has been a disappointment due to health and production (.201/271/.386), but he’s a good buy-low candidate for the 2026 season based on his talent and production in 2024.

Cowser’s was the biggest of back-to-back-to-back homers off Nestor Cortes in the third. He made a bid for a second homer off Robert Suarez in the ninth, but Ramón Laureano made a jumping catch at the wall in left to steal it away. Cowser did strike out in his other three at-bats today, but no one is complaining about that right now. He came into the day 3-for-26 with no RBI and a 13/1 K/BB in his previous seven games.

Cowser took Red Sox reliever Richard Fitts deep in the second inning for his 12th big fly of the season before adding a two-run single in the ensuing frame. It was his third three-hit performance of the season. He’s caught fire over the last handful of games, batting .310 (9-for-29) with three homers, eight RBI and one steal in his last seven contests.

Holliday receives his first off day since July 29. Colton Cowser moves up to the leadoff spot with Luis Vázquez getting an opportunity at the keystone.

Cowser put the Orioles on the board with a two-run single in the first inning. He then tied the game with a solo homer off AJ Blubaugh to lead off the fifth. It was the second straight game with a homer and the 11th of the season for the 25-year-old outfielder. He’s slashing .215/.283/.413 with 26 runs scored, 27 RBI, and seven steals across 244 plate appearances.