The Baltimore Orioles optioned outfielder Dylan Carlson to Triple-A Norfolk after Thursday's game against the Boston Red Sox to make room on the active roster for shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal), who was officially activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. Carlson is the odd-man out for now with Henderson returning. The 26-year-old former top prospect of the St. Louis Cardinals only played in two games in the early going in his first year in Baltimore and went hitless in six plate appearances with an RBI, run scored, one walk and four strikeouts. In only 96 games in 2024 with the Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays, Carlson slashed just .209/.287/.277 with a career-worst .563 OPS, three home runs and 25 RBI in 265 plate appearances. With a crowded outfield in Baltimore, it's going to be difficult for Carlson to break through in 2025 as a post-hype prospect.
Colton Cowser Placed On 10-Day Injured List, Dylan Carlson Recalled
The Baltimore Orioles have placed outfielder Colton Cowser (thumb) on the 10-day injured list due to a fracture in his left thumb. In a corresponding move, the Orioles promoted outfielder Dylan Carlson to the MLB roster. Cowser sustained this injury during their contest against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Cowser apparently injured his thumb when sliding for a base. He was replaced by a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of that game. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status but expect him to remain sidelined for the foreseeable future. While Cowser remains sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Ramon Laureano and Heston Kjerstad to see an increase in opportunities in the corner outfield spots. Kjerstad got the starting nod on March 29, suggesting he may be slightly higher than Laureano on the depth chart. Carlson will likely only have a depth role in the outfield.
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that they agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Dylan Carlson on a one-year, $975,000 deal for the 2025 season. Carlson can make an additional $25,000 at 200 plate appearances. The 26-year-old outfielder became a free agent this offseason when the Tampa Bay Rays non-tendered him. He struggled mightily at the plate last season and hit a combined .209/.287/.277 with a career-worst .563 OPS, three home runs, 25 RBI, 19 runs scored and 75 strikeouts in 265 plate appearance over 96 games with the Rays and St. Louis Cardinals. The switch-hitter was once a promising prospect in the Cardinals system, but it's been all downhill since a solid rookie campaign in 2021. Carlson won't be an everyday player in Baltimore, but he could carve out a platoon role in the outfield against left-handed pitching.
The Tampa Bay Rays non-tendered outfielder Dylan Carlson and left-handers Colin Poche, Tyler Alexander and Richard Lovely on Friday, making them all free agents. Once one of the St. Louis Cardinals' top outfield prospects, Carlson now finds himself on the open market this winter after being traded from the Cardinals to the Rays at the deadline this summer. The former first-rounder in 2016 was slightly better in his time with Tampa but still had an overall disappointing slash line in 2024 at .209/.287/.277 with a career-worst .563 OPS, only three home runs, 25 RBI, two steals and 19 runs scored in 97 total games with St. Louis and Tampa. The 26-year-old switch-hitter will surely latch on with another organization, but he's going to need to play much better to have a shot at a platoon role wherever he lands.
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Dylan Carlson homered in Friday evening's series-opening walk-off win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Tropicana Field, adding a stolen base. Before hitting an RBI single in the eighth inning, Carlson cranked a solo home run off Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson to right field to cut the Rays' deficit within 2-1 in the fifth frame on Friday against the D-backs. In his last 12 games since joining Tampa Bay, the 25-year-old former top prospect has gone 9-for-34 (.265) with three big flies, eight RBI, four runs scored, and one steal.
The St. Louis Cardinals sent former top prospect Dylan Carlson to the Rays for veteran reliever Shawn Armstrong. The Rays are widely known for their reclamation projects and hope to bring Carlson back to his 2021 form, where he finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .266 with 18 home runs and 65 RBI. 2022 and 2023 were not nearly as kind to Carlson, as he regressed statistically across the board in all major categories, finally leading to his current .198 average and zero homers. A change of scenery might do Carlson some good. At only 25 years old, he still has youth on his side and also comes with a first-round draft-pick pedigree. With the Rays making a flurry of deadline moves of their own, there should be enough at-bats available for Carlson to prove himself. Don't discount the Tampa Bay front office; if they think highly enough of him to buy low, he should at least be added to all watch lists and kept a close eye on, especially over the next few weeks.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) has been activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since crashing into a wall during spring training. He'll make his season debut on Sunday, batting fifth and covering center field versus lefty Garrett Crochet. The former top prospect has struggled at times in the big leagues, so fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach here.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Pedro Pag s will be optioned to Memphis as the corresponding move. Carlson recently completed a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis and is set to make his season debut on Sunday. The 25-year-old missed the start of the season due to a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. He slashed .219/.318/.333 with five home runs, 27 RBI, 27 runs, and three stolen bases over 255 plate appearances in 2023. With Tommy Edman (wrist) sidelined and Jordan Walker in Triple-A Memphis, Carlson has a clear path for playing time and is a speculative add in deep-league formats.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder), who is close to a return from his sprained left shoulder, is in the team's clubhouse on Saturday before their game against the visiting Chicago White Sox. It means that Carlson is likely on the verge of officially being activated from the injured list, although he's not in the team's lineup. The 25-year-old played nine innings in the field for Triple-A Memphis on Friday and went 3-for-11 with a solo home run in four rehab games with Memphis. With Tommy Edman (wrist) still on the IL, Carlson is expected to take over center field duties from rookie Michael Siani when he's officially active on the Cardinals' roster. The former first-round switch-hitter so far hasn't lived up to expectations in his four years in the big leagues, but he's certainly worth a waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) went 2-for-3 with a home run in a rehab game with Triple-A Memphis. Carlson was playing in his second rehab game and was used as the designated hitter in this one after playing in center field on Wednesday. He will likely need a decent amount of time to get himself ready for a return to the majors, as he hasn't yet played in a game for the Cardinals this year after suffering a sprained left shoulder in Spring Training. The 25-year-old doesn't have much fantasy appeal, but he was once a well-regarded prospect and is still young, so a post-hype breakout is possible.
Dylan Carlson
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Orioles
