Cowser sits for 4th straight game, but O's remain confident in young OF

BALTIMORE -- Last Wednesday in Kansas City, Colton Cowser appeared to be breaking out of his early-season slump. The 26-year-old outfielder had two hits (including a double) as the Orioles secured a series win over the Royals with an 8-6 victory.

Since then, Cowser hasn't started a game, as he was on the bench for Tuesday's series opener vs. the Astros at Camden Yards, marking his fourth consecutive game out of the lineup. It wasn't surprising to see the left-handed-hitting Cowser sit on Saturday or Sunday -- when Boston sent left-handers Garrett Crochet and Connelly Early to the mound -- but he didn't start vs. Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello on Friday or Astros righty Kai-Wei Teng on Tuesday.

Through 24 games, Cowser is hitting .200 with two doubles, three RBIs and a .511 OPS, and he has still yet to hit a home run. But manager Craig Albernaz said the decision to not start Cowser of late has less to do with his struggles and more about the play of Leody Taveras and Dylan Beavers, who started in center and right, respectively, for the opener against Houston.

"It’s nothing about Cowser. It’s how Leody’s been playing and also how Beavers has been playing as well," Albernaz said. "I think Cowser is trending in the right way. The at-bats have been better, the impact quality has been better. His swing decisions are trending, too. So to me, it says more about Leody and Beavers than Cowser. I think Cowser still has potential to be dangerous in the box. He is dangerous in the box. But for right now, it’s Leody and Beavers."

Taveras slashed .288/.400/.441 with three doubles, two homers and 15 RBIs over his first 23 games, as the 27-year-old has unexpectedly been one of the O's top hitters thus far. Beavers hit .243 with three doubles, two homers, eight RBIs and a .679 OPS through 21 games, but the 24-year-old went 6-for-18 (.333) over his past four contests entering Tuesday.

If the Orioles (13-15) are going to reach their full potential this season, though, they likely need more from Cowser, the club's first-round Draft pick in 2021. He's been a key member of the organization's young core in recent years, hitting 38 doubles, three triples and 40 home runs while posting a .723 OPS in 245 games over the '24 and '25 seasons.

Baltimore's best defensive alignment also includes Cowser, a Gold Glove Award finalist in left field in 2024, who has shown the ability to handle center since Cedric Mullins was dealt to the Mets at last year's Trade Deadline.

Has there been any consideration from the Orioles to send Cowser (who has two Minor League options remaining) down to Triple-A Norfolk for a bit of a reset amid his slow start?

"I wouldn’t say anything like that," president of baseball operations Mike Elias said last Friday. "We know the talent level is there. He’s frustrated. Right now, he’s helping us and we need him on the team. I think we’re too early to judge individual performances, in a positive or negative direction, too severely at this point in the calendar."

One area in which Cowser can improve is hitting non-fastballs. This year, he is 7-for-22 (.318) against heaters while going 4-for-17 (.235) with seven strikeouts against offspeed pitches and 0-for-16 with 11 strikeouts against breaking offerings.

Albernaz thought last Wednesday's game showed improvement, as Cowser hit a 112.5 mph double (his highest exit velocity of the season, per Statcast) and a single off of a changeup.

"I think that's where we all see, Cowser going well, he can handle that, right? The velo up, and then also the changeup down," Albernaz said. "So hopefully, Cowser, he can keep on doing that."