The Baltimore Orioles’ first road swing of the season delivered a full spectrum of outcomes — both encouraging and concerning.
After opening the year with a 3-3 homestand, Baltimore mirrored that mark on the road, finishing another 3-3 stretch that featured extremes on both ends.
A sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates exposed flaws, as nearly everything that could go wrong did. The club responded emphatically on the South Side of Chicago, sweeping the White Sox by finding creative — and at times unconventional — ways to win games.
At 6-6, the Orioles sit in second place in the AL East, but questions linger, particularly with an offense that has struck out 117 times against just 48 walks through 12 games.
With Thursday’s off day ahead of a six-game homestand and a demanding 13-game stretch, it is worth evaluating the latest edition of The Great, The Good & The Ugly.
THE GREAT: TAYLOR WARD
Few hitters in baseball are controlling at-bats the way Taylor Ward is right now.
His ability to extend plate appearances has stood out early, consistently working counts deep while reaching base in 11 consecutive games and averaging nearly 4.5 pitches per plate appearance.
Ward leads the league with nine doubles, six coming over his last four games, and ranks second in hits with 18. He is paired that production with eight walks against 11 strikeouts, eight RBIs, and a .383 batting average, highlighted by a 1.038 OPS.
Beyond the batter’s box, Ward’s defensive improvements have been just as impactful. He leads all left fielders in fWAR (0.8) while appearing in every game this season, providing stability on both sides of the ball.
THE GOOD: GUNNAR HENDERSON
If Ward has been setting the tone, Gunnar Henderson has been finishing the job.
The O’s shortstop was central to nearly everything the team did offensively on the road trip, contributing to 12 of the team’s 19 runs, driving in five and scoring seven.
Henderson launched three home runs during the trip and recorded five extra-base hits among his eight total knocks, adding four walks along the way. He posted an impressive .333/.429/.792 slash line, good for a 1.221 OPS, while continuing to provide his usual reliable defense.
Through 12 games, Henderson’s 0.5 fWAR trails only Ward and Trevor Rogers on the club, reinforcing his importance as a middle-of-the-order force and face of the franchise.
THE UGLY: COLTON COWSER
Colton Cowser’s early-season momentum has stalled, and opposing pitchers have quickly made the adjustment.
He is seeing off-speed pitches 26.3% of the time, which is among the highest rates in the majors, while fastballs have dipped to just 16.9%.
Cowser is slugging just .091 against off-speed pitches and has yet to record a hit against breaking balls. In contrast, he is slugging .667 against fastballs, underscoring the clear approach teams are taking against him.
There are modest signs of progress — his strikeout rate has dropped from 35.6% to 25.9% — but his 11.8% barrel rate remains below league average. Defensively, he has been serviceable, though his -0.2 fWAR reflects a limited overall impact.
With Jackson Holliday nearing a return, roster decisions could soon become more complicated. Cowser’s talent remains evident, but his adjustment period will be critical in determining his role with the Birds moving forward.
The Orioles return to action Friday at Camden Yards, welcoming the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks.
The coming week will offer further clarity: whether Ward can sustain his elite production, whether Henderson’s power surge can spark the lineup and whether Cowser can make the necessary adjustments before opportunities begin to shrink.
Be sure to come back next week, as we unveil our next edition of The Great, The Good & The Ugly.
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