SEATTLE — Colton Cowser’s season was paused before it ever really began. But the Orioles outfielder will return from the injured list Tuesday when Baltimore begins a series against the Seattle Mariners.
Cowser fractured his thumb on March 30 when he dove headfirst into the first base bag. That began an extended waiting period before he went on two rehab assignments late last month, first with High-A Aberdeen and next with Triple-A Norfolk. Cowser certainly seemed ready to return to the majors. In three games with the Tides, he notched six hits, including four doubles.
Baltimore has missed Cowser, who finished last season second in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He posted a .768 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and made left field his everyday place in the lineup. Cowser can also play center, which will come in handy for a club missing Cedric Mullins due to a hamstring strain.
To make room for Cowser, the Orioles designated utility man Cooper Hummel for assignment. This has been a challenging stretch for Hummel. He opted out of his deal with the New York Yankees for a major league opportunity, and it came last month with the Orioles. A day later he was designated for assignment. Baltimore re-signed Hummel to a major league contract last week, only to remove him from the 40-man roster again Monday.
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Without Mullins, there has been a rotating cast of characters in center. Jorge Mateo, primarily a middle infielder, has played in center with mixed results. Dylan Carlson has also handled some of the duties. Cowser is a strong outfielder, however, and he should bolster a defense that has been suspect at times.
Before Cowser was injured, he recorded two hits in 16 at-bats. And after his broken thumb, a host of injuries struck other outfielders. Ramón Laureano is out with a sprained ankle. Tyler O’Neill has a shoulder impingement. Mullins recently landed on the 10-day injured list, too.
Cowser is the first to return, but he should be joined soon by infielder Jordan Westburg, whose own hamstring strain has dragged on. Westburg took part in rehab games with Norfolk last week.
When Cowser spoke with media May 18, he acknowledged that his headfirst dive to first wasn’t “a baseball play that you’re really supposed to make, but sometimes the instincts take over.”
In the future, Cowser said he might hesitate before doing it again. But he isn’t one to take it easy out of the batter’s box.
“I’m always going to hustle; that’s just kind of who I am,” Cowser said.” Definitely, going forward, going to be definitely more cautious with that and be a little bit smarter.”
