The Orioles gave Carlson the nod in center over Cedric Mullins in the hopes of a revenge game and got one. The 397-foot homer against his former team was the farthest Carlson had hit a ball since June 20, 2023, when he somehow hit 445- and 404-foot homers off MacKenzie Gore. Carlson also homered Sunday against the Red Sox. He was 1-for-22 with 11 strikeouts in the majors this season before going 5-for-12 with three extra-base hits and one strikeout the last three days. The surge should keep him in the lineup for now and could allow him to retain a roster spot over Heston Kjerstad when the Orioles start getting their other outfielders back from the IL.

Carlson returns to the majors to fortify Baltimore’s outfield depth in the wake of Tyler O’Neill landing on the injured list with a shoulder impingement. The 26-year-old former top prospect has gone 0-for-15 in 10 games this season in the majors.

The Orioles activated Ramon Urias from the injured list, and needed a spot, so Carlson, who is 0-for-15 at the big league level this season, will be sent back down. Jorge Mateo should serve as the fourth outfielder now.

Carlson should get a chance to play on a semi-regular basis over the next week or two with Tyler O’Neill hitting the injured list with a neck issue. The 26-year-old former top prospect can be ignored in most fantasy formats, especially with O’Neill only expected to require a minimum stint on the shelf.