Despite a gutsy win last night, the Orioles are playing like a bad baseball team right now. There’s no point in sugar coating things after that long weekend in New York. They haven’t been eliminated from playoff contention, and last night’s result helped, but things still look bleak in Birdland.
Maybe we’ll look back on that four-game sweep as “rock bottom” before a winning streak, or maybe we’ll remember it as the beginning of the end. Either way, this roster, as currently constructed, needs help.
Our John Beers unpacked some of the fatal flaws dooming this Orioles team yesterday. Baltimore is falling behind early, there’s way too much swing and miss, and shooting for the fences is a tough way to get back into games.
It would be unfair not to point out how injuries are taking a toll for the second consecutive season. Zach Eflin felt like a guy that could outperform his one-year, $10-million deal if he stayed healthy. The offense clearly misses Jordan Westburg, and Jackson Holliday has been robbed of an opportunity to take a step forward. The bullpen misses Ryan Helsley—and Félix Bautista for that matter—and the rotation misses Trevor Rogers and Dean Kremer.
It was difficult to imagine a significant role for Ryan Mountcastle at the beginning of the year, but Baltimore would be far better off with Mountcastle facing lefties instead of Weston Wilson. Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson have been miscast as everyday players, and both Brandon Young and Cade Povich found their way into the rotation by the beginning of May.
Every team deals with injuries. The Orioles are going through the ringer for the second consecutive season, and that limits the margin for error. Surprise performances from guys like Eflin, Mountcastle and Heston Kjerstad could have pushed this team over the edge. Steady production from players like Westburg, Holliday, Rogers and Kremer could have put the team where it needed to be. Both of those outcomes have yet to materialize.
The injuries leave no place to hide for the healthy players on the active roster. Adley Rutschman, Taylor Ward, and Jackson have done their part. Only a few others can say the same. Pete Alonso and Gunnar Henderson have yet to provide that super star boost. The rotation is a mess. Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers are still trying to find their footing. And then there’s Colton Cowser.
Cowser was named the 2024 American League Outstanding Rookie in the Players Choice Awards and finished runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Other recent winners include Baltimore’s Henderson, Julio Rodríguez, Yordan Alvarez and Aaron Judge. Winners of that award are players that teams can build around. At a minimum, they’re guys that should produce over the next few years.
Cowser entered last night’s game with a .194/.301/.226 slash line and proceeded to go 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. He’s lost his starting job to a veteran that went to Sarasota without a guaranteed roster spot. Leody Taveras deserves all the credit in the world for his strong start, but he’s another bench bat miscast as an everyday player.
Cowser’s inability to hit offspeed pitches has taken on a life of its own. I’ll spare you the jokes because you’ve probably heard them by now. But this is the guy that made the Orioles feel comfortable moving on from Cedric Mullins. Sure, Mullins has struggled since leaving Baltimore, but imagine the sad state of center field if/when Taveras reverts back to his totals from last season.
Coby Mayo held a .165/.234/.306 line at the start of last night’s contest. Mayo has failed once again to take advantage of an opportunity, but the guy is learning a position on the fly. He’s showed a few flashes of power, but it’s unclear whether he’ll ever develop into a league-average hitter. Cowser was nearly a 3 bWAR player in 2024. The Orioles chalked some struggles up to injuries last season, but the front office expected Cowser to be a contributor in 2026. Instead, he’s reverted into a guy that can only turn around a fastball if someone is dumb enough to throw one.
The rotation cannot be let off the hook. Shane Baz has yet to demonstrate that Cy Young potential that Mike Elias raved about. Chris Bassitt has yet to beat the Charlie Morton allegations. Kyle Bradish looks more like a fifth starter than a staff ace. Still, there’s a little more hope that Baz and Bradish can get their acts together.
The Orioles aren’t out of gas, but they’re running on fumes. They need players like Henderson and Alonso to reach another gear, but they won’t get anywhere if players like Cowser and Mayo keep sputtering.
