The freshness and boundless optimism of a new season haven’t kept another series of injuries from striking the Orioles.

They can run and dive, but they can’t hide.

The latest blow arrived this morning with outfielder Colton Cowser going on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left thumb. Manager Brandon Hyde expects Cowser to miss a minimum of six-to-eight weeks.

This isn’t how the Orioles wanted to begin their home Opening Day.

“It’s a big loss,” Hyde said. “This is a guy who was second in Rookie of the Year last year. … It’s going to be at least a couple months and gives other guys opportunity. It’s not gonna be the last injury we have this season. We’re gonna have things pop up and that’s why you create depth, and it gives other guys opportunities. But it’s a blow because Colton’s a really good player.”

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said outfielder Colton Cowser could miss six-to-eight weeks minimum with a fractured left thumb. Cowser was placed on the 10-day injured list this morning.

The injury occurred yesterday when Cowser dived into first base in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. He was removed for a pinch-hitter in the ninth and underwent tests.

Outfielder Dylan Carlson was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. He's on the bench today for the home opener against the Red Sox.

Jordan Westburg is leading off today. He’s back in the lineup after sitting out yesterday’s game.

Hyde said Westburg is feeling a lot better after dealing with some “minor things.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles will play their last Florida exhibition game with Gunnar Henderson absent again. He hasn’t played since Feb. 27, and his uniforms remained in his locker this morning while teammates' gear was packed.

Colton Cowser is leading off and playing left field against the Braves in North Port. Other regulars on the trip include Adley Rutschman catching, Ryan O’Hearn at designated hitter, Ryan Mountcastle at first base, Tyler O’Neill in right field, Cedric Mullins in center and Jackson Holliday at shortstop.

Jorge Mateo is at second base. The Orioles haven’t confirmed whether he’s made the Opening Day roster.

Charlie Morton is starting, with Dean Kremer following. Félix Bautista also will pitch.

The Orioles’ spring training roster is down to 41 players with outfielder Dylan Carlson optioned to minor league camp. Carlson batted .321 with a 1.071 OPS in 18 games.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Dylan Carlson won’t play general manager. He’d prefer holding onto his sanity.

“You lose your mind a little bit,” he said.

Can’t argue with his logic.

Carlson came into Orioles camp and ran into a crowded outfield. The Orioles signed him on Jan. 27 to a one-year deal worth $975,000 with a $25,000 bonus if he reached 200 plate appearances. A week later, the team signed outfielder Ramón Laureano to a one-year contract worth $4 million and including a $6.5 million club option.

Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill are going to be introduced on Opening Day in Toronto and Heston Kjerstad is expected to join them. Laureano’s deal and his ability to serve as a right-handed hitting backup in center field pretty much solidified his chances.

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Orioles held pitchers fielding practice inside the ballpark this week in Sarasota. They took turns chasing soft ground balls that manager Brandon Hyde rolled near them, causing them to break left or right from the mound, and waited for a teammate to yell “first” or “third.”

A reminder of those tedious drills came in the fourth inning today when reliever Gregory Soto bounced a throw to first base in an attempt to retire the Pirates’ Ji Hwan Bae with one out. The fielding part went smoothly, but not the last part.

The ball got past Coby Mayo, allowing Bae to reach second base. Soto walked the next two batters and Bae came home with the tie-breaking run when Oneil Cruz grounded into a force.

Soto had strung together three straight scoreless outings before allowing an unearned run today. He’s totaled five innings and surrendered two earned, five hits, his first two walks and six strikeouts.

Today’s appearance consisted of 19 pitches and only seven strikes.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Where some people see a logjam, Coby Mayo sees a fighting chance.

Seven infielders, six infielders, it doesn’t matter to Mayo. He isn’t expecting to spend his 2025 season riding buses in Triple-A.

“I think I’ve said this last year, I think an opportunity will present itself if you can show out and if I can do what I can do,” Mayo said earlier this week at his clubhouse locker. “Last spring was an example of how I can play in this kind of environment. Just going to look to do the same this year.”

Mayo didn’t break camp with the Orioles but he thumped a few baseballs, hitting .360 with a 1.008 OPS in 23 games. His 11 RBIs were tied with Anthony Santander for third on the club. Jackson Holliday got most of the press when he was cut from the camp roster, but the group also included Mayo, Heston Kjerstad, Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby.

The pitching in the International League was no match for Mayo, who batted .287 with 23 doubles, three triples, 22 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .925 OPS in 89 games. But it was all uphill with the Orioles. And the climb lasted only 17 games.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The due date has arrived for Orioles pitchers and catchers. They’re required to report today unless they have visa issues. There’s usually one in every crowd.

Not that the complex has been empty. Players arrive early, including the ones rehabbing from surgery. Physicals are taken and the back fields are occupied. Tossing a baseball back and forth in the morning feeds the senses.

The media gains access early Thursday. It isn’t like those Fort Lauderdale days when beat writers and columnists stood inside the clubhouse and waited for someone to show up with their bags. They’d usually just phone the manager and say, “I’m here.”

They meant the state of Florida. Guys weren’t in a big hurry to check into the outdated and dilapidated facility.

Beyond some roster competitions this spring, and there don’t appear to be many, is the battle for the Opening Day start. This is assuming that a decision isn’t already made and spring performances could factor into it.

The smiles appear before the response.

Ask a few Orioles hitters for their immediate reactions to news that the club is moving in the left field wall, and their approval can be seen on their faces.

“I mean, I’m not disappointed,” catcher Adley Rutschman said yesterday evening after the Birdland Caravan made a stop at PBR Baltimore.

“It’s definitely nice as a righty, and maybe as a lefty. I think everyone’s excited.”

No one more than first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who was robbed of 11 home runs over three seasons, per Statcast data, after the Orioles pushed back the wall and raised its height. The new dimensions bring it up at varying distances between nine and 20 feet.

The Orioles weren’t finished with the position player side of their roster.

The club announced today that it signed outfielder Dylan Carlson to a one-year contract. It’s worth $975,000 with a $25,000 bonus if he reaches 200 plate appearances, according to an industry source.

Infielder Jacob Amaya was designated for assignment to create room for Carlson on a full 40-man roster.

Carlson, 26, is a switch-hitter and the 33^rd overall pick of the Cardinals in the 2016 draft. He split last season between St. Louis and Tampa Bay and batted .209/.287/.277 in 96 games.

This was a big drop from the 2021 season when Carlson finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting. He hit .266/.343/.437 with 31 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 65 RBIs in 149 games.