The Baltimore Orioles’ 2025 campaign has hit an early snag with the news that rising star Colton Cowser will miss significant time due to a fractured left thumb. The 25-year-old outfielder suffered the injury during a headfirst slide into first base in Sunday’s loss to Toronto, landing him on the 10-day injured list. Manager Brandon Hyde confirmed Cowser faces a six-to-eight-week recovery, calling the setback a “big loss” for a team already navigating a crowded IL.
As the Orioles scramble to fill the void, questions loom: Can their depth weather another blow, or will Cowser’s absence derail their momentum?
Inside Colton Cowser’s injury and the Orioles’ next steps
Hyde didn’t sugarcoat the impact of losing Cowser, a 2024 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up whose power-speed combo (.768 OPS, 24 HRs) anchored last season’s lineup. “It’s not going to be the last injury we have,” Hyde admitted, stressing the importance of roster depth. That depth will now lean on Dylan Carlson, recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, and Heston Kjerstad, a former top prospect poised for more starts.
Kjerstad, the No. 2 pick in 2020, batted fifth in Monday’s home opener—a nod to Hyde’s faith in his untapped potential. “He’s going to get more of an opportunity now,” Hyde said, though replacing Colton Cowser’s consistency won’t be easy. The outfielder’s aggressive style—evident in his ill-fated slide—has bitten him before; he fractured the same hand during last October’s playoff loss to Kansas City.
Teammates rallied around Cowser’s hustle. “It’s a crazy situation… a guy’s just playing hard and doesn’t get rewarded,” center fielder Cedric Mullins noted. First baseman Ryan O’Hearn echoed the sentiment: “We’d rather have him at the end of the year… but we’ve got to keep rolling.”
The Orioles are no strangers to adversity. Last year, they weathered injuries to key infielders and ace Grayson Rodriguez, clawing their way to a second straight postseason. With Gunnar Henderson nearing a return, Baltimore hopes to replicate that resilience. But in a division where every game counts, Colton Cowser’s absence tests their blueprint early.
For now, the message is clear: Next man up. Again.