This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
BALTIMORE — With the entire difficult harm information hitting the Orioles over the previous two months — over the previous eight or 9 months, actually, contemplating the run of dangerous luck in final 12 months’s second half — right here’s one thing for followers to be enthusiastic about.
Cowser joined a bunch on the IL that already featured Henderson (proper intercostal pressure), starter Grayson Rodriguez (proper elbow irritation) and reliever Andrew Kittredge (left knee surgical procedure), amongst others. The O’s seemingly haven’t been capable of catch many breaks.
However Henderson’s imminent return can preserve hopes excessive and morale up.
“Oh yeah. We acquired like top-of-the-line gamers on the earth coming again,” first baseman Ryan O’Hearn stated on Monday. “In order that’s factor.”
Very a lot so. Henderson, who’s eligible to be reinstated from the IL on Thursday, was large through the 2024 season. The star shortstop positioned fourth in American League MVP Award voting and was named a first-time All-Star throughout a sophomore marketing campaign through which he slashed .281/.364/.529 with 31 doubles, seven triples, 37 residence runs and 92 RBIs in 159 video games.
Henderson received’t seem in that many video games for the Orioles this season, contemplating the 23-year-old has already missed 5. However he could solely miss another (Wednesday).
Supervisor Brandon Hyde not too long ago stated Henderson is on observe to return as quickly as he’s eligible.
That is precisely why the O’s have been so cautious with Henderson (and different injured gamers). They didn’t wish to drive him onto the Opening Day roster and threat the harm turning into a lingering concern. It seems Henderson is not feeling the results.
By means of three rehab video games at Triple-A Norfolk, Henderson is 4-for-12 (.333) with one residence run and three RBIs. He began twice at shortstop and as soon as at designated hitter.
“He appeared actually good. He took some actually good swings,” stated outfielder Dylan Carlson, who opened the season at Norfolk earlier than being recalled Monday. “Clearly, a particular expertise. You get that man some reps, get him on the market, he’s going to do some fairly cool issues.”
Earlier than Cowser’s harm, the Orioles gave the impression to be dealing with a roster crunch forward of Henderson’s return. They seemingly would have needed to take into account both optioning outfielder Heston Kjerstad or designating infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo for project. Neither appeared perfect.
Now, it’s most definitely that Carlson shall be optioned to make room for Henderson upon his arrival.
Even with out Cowser, Baltimore ought to nonetheless have loads of protection for the outfield with Kjerstad, Cedric Mullins, Tyler O’Neill and Ramón Laureano all within the combine. Plus, O’Hearn is able to filling in on the corners and Mateo in middle.
One of many solely good issues concerning the Orioles’ early harm troubles? The actual fact they’re occurring now, reasonably than in September.
“It has some positives to it,” Mullins stated, “as a result of we all know we’ll get guys again earlier as properly.”
“It’s a protracted season, and this can be a marathon,” Hyde stated. “You wish to get off to begin, you attempt to keep as wholesome as doable, however accidents occur across the league and also you simply have to preserve going. The sport’s not going to cease, and the schedule’s not going to cease.”
