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The Orioles made a significant change in pitchers today, designating veteran Kyle Gibson for assignment and recalling Kade Strowd from Triple-A Norfolk.
The door remains open for Gibson to stay in the organization, but he’s removed from the active roster after compiling a 16.78 ERA and 2.919 WHIP in four starts. He allowed 23 runs and 29 hits in 12 1/3 innings, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts.
The Orioles haven’t named a starter for Tuesday and it could be Chayce McDermott, who served as the 27th man in the doubleheader. Charlie Morton has allowed two runs in his last two relief appearances covering 7 1/3 innings, and he could be a consideration later. He held the Nationals to one run and two hits yesterday in 4 1/3 after replacing Gibson, who surrendered six runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Gibson didn’t blame a short ramp-up for yesterday’s issues, but he signed a $5.25 million contract on March 21, made three appearances in the minors and joined the team that he pitched for in 2023. It never worked out.
The first six batters reached against Gibson yesterday.
"I think physically I feel good,” he said afterward. “Stuff-wise frustratingly feels good. Bullpens feel good, everything’s been pretty normal. I think these first two or three weeks have been frustrating, to say the least. Hard to find words, really, to go into it and to kind of voice it appropriately, honestly.
"Four times taking the mound feeling like you haven’t given the team a chance to win each time is a pretty big gut punch. Feeling like you’re part of getting a manager fired is a gut punch. Just not going out there and being able to compete and give the team a chance to win every five days is frustrating. So yeah, I don’t know if any of you guys have ever felt the feeling of essentially letting down your co-workers, but it’s a gut punch. It’s not anything I enjoy feeling at all, but that’s kind of been the reality of the first four starts.”
Strowd is making his second stop with the Orioles and waiting for his major league debut. He has a 7.47 ERA and 1.979 WHIP in 13 relief appearances with Norfolk over 15 2/3 innings. He’s walked seven and struck out 25.
The 40-man roster has 38 players.
The Orioles also announced that Tyler O’Neill went on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder impingement. They recalled Dylan Carlson.
* Colton Cowser dived into first base in Toronto, was called out and had instant regret.
His instincts took over, a rare downside to hustling.
Cowser fractured his left thumb on March 30 and remains on the 60-day injured list, stuck at two hits in 16 at-bats but feeling better about his progress.
Hitting in the cage yesterday was a first for Cowser, and the same goes for the interview earlier today at his locker. He is cleared for full baseball activities.
“Just been showing up and trying to accomplish what I’m supposed to that day,” he said. “I kind of knew what the injury was, and the only thing that really could heal it was time. Just trying to keep a good mental headspace and showing up and doing whatever I can around the clubhouse.
“I started swinging right around four weeks post-injury. So it’s been a couple weeks, but yesterday was the first day getting out on the field.”
Cowser is eligible to return on May 30. He’s got to face pitching and go on an injury rehab assignment, which could last longer than some others due to the length of time that he’s missed.
“That’s something that me and the training staff and strength and conditioning staff have talked about,” he said. “We’re hoping to get into rehab games here soon and go from there trying to get as many at-bats as I can and rehabbing and making sure that I’m feeling good to come back.”
The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year runner-up sustained his injury in the seventh inning while trying to beat out a ground ball, and the initial prognosis was six-to-eight weeks. Cowser raised his hand after hitting the bag, in part to signal for a challenge. But he also felt the pain.
“Yeah, I mean, hindsight, you can always say just run through it,” he said. “It wasn’t one of those things where I thought it was a faster situation. It was PFP (pitchers' fielding practice), coming over and throw was up the line, trying to kind of avoid a tag, and my instincts just kind of took over and tried to get around them.
“It was unfortunate. I know that it’s not a baseball play that you’re really supposed to make, but sometimes the instincts take over and hindsight, I could have just dogged it out of the box and not really put an effort in. But at the time, was just trying to get the tying runner up to the plate.
“I’m always going to hustle, that’s just kind of who I am. Definitely, going forward, going to be definitely more cautious with that and be a little bit smarter.”
Cowser is a little closer to the club these days, making the last road trip to Anaheim and Minnesota. He’s experiencing the mental challenge of separation from teammates while the Orioles sit in last place.
His fractured hand in 2024 occurred in Game 2 of the Wild Card series, and his season ended after the final out.
“I think that it’s something that I’m going through for the first time, and I think the big thing is trying to show up and being an asset, not someone who’s bringing down the clubhouse,” he said. “Just trying to do what I can. I think it’s one of those things, showing up, getting my work done, and then, after that, just trying to be like an energy fountain rather than a drain. And it’s definitely been tough with how things have gone this year. But like I said, just trying to continue to show up each and every day and handle my business.”
A fountain? Fits right in with the water-themed celebrations.
“Yeah, whether it’s just being a voice in the dugout or someone in the clubhouse, just trying to bring as much positive energy as I can,” he said. “And that’s pretty much all you can do whenever you’re on the shelf right now. That’s pretty much it.
“Getting to go on the last road trip was great. I was actually a little under the weather the first time in Minnesota, so I didn’t quite get to be in the stadium for that. But being in Anaheim was great with the guys, and I think just being around them makes you feel more involved than when you stay back and you’re getting here early and just knocking your work out.”
Cowser wants to return in time to help the Orioles in their recovery from a disastrous start. They’ve lost 11 of 13 and 18 of 24, and it isn’t as accurate to point out that the season is in its early stages.
“I think that it’s just kind of been a spiral effect,” Cowser said.
“I’ve been able to take a step back and kind of observe things as a fan, and you know, I think that, one, we’re not playing as well as we can. Obviously, I know this group is very, very talented. And do I believe we’re going to turn it around? Yes. Absolutely. But I think the big thing is, just going out there, pitching, hitting, defense all clicking at the same time. It feels like, as of late, we’ve pitched, we haven’t hit. We’ve hit, we haven’t really pitched. And then the defense has been so-so here and there. But I think that to really turn it around, we’ve got to start clicking on each one of those aspects.”
A managerial change can spark a team or make no noticeable difference. Tony Mansolino is preparing today for his second game in charge.
“Like I said, I know Manso said it yesterday, it’s not a good thing that that happened,” Cowser said of Brandon Hyde’s dismissal. “It’s one of those things, as players, you feel responsible, and that’s the business side of the game. For change to happen, I think it’s just one of those things where we’re going to have to keep our head down and keep working and start to play together as a collective unit.”
