While the Baltimore Orioles have suffered through a disastrous start to the season, the team has now won three straight games after Monday’s 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. And a big reason Baltimore came out on top in this battle of the birds, is due to the bat of former Cardinal Dylan Carlson.

Facing his old squad, Carlson stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the fourth inning with two on and one out. The Orioles already staked an early 2-0 lead. But Carlson drove a 92 mph Erick Fedde sinker over the fence in center field, via MLB on X. The three-run shot put Baltimore up 5-2.

Carlson now has home runs in back-to-back games after he went yard in Sunday’s 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. The sudden power binge has come out of nowhere as Carlson had not left the yard before going deep at Fenway on Sunday.

Will Dylan Carlson’s power surge lead to redemption?

May 25, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles Dylan Carlson (15) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park.
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With the victory over the Cardinals, the Orioles improved to 19-34 on the season. Despite the three-game win streak, Baltimore is still last in the AL East, 13.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees.

It’s been a bleak season for the team as the Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde after a miserable start in 2025. However, Baltimore has to like what it’s suddenly seeing from Carlson.

The veteran outfielder was a first-round pick by the Cardinals and was considered the team’s top prospect when he debuted in 2020. The following season he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, with 18 home runs, 65 RBI, 79 runs scored and a 115 OPS+.

However, Carlson has struggled mightily since those halcyon days. He failed to live up to the potential the Cardinals envisioned over the next three seasons. St. Louis ultimately traded Carlson to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline last year. He then signed with the Orioles as a free agent this offseason.

Carlson hasn’t impressed early on in Baltimore, slashing .176/.216/.382 with two home runs and seven RBI in 17 games with the team. He’s spent most of his time in the minors this year. But given the Orioles’ extensive number of injuries, Carlson is getting a chance to prove himself. Still only 26, perhaps he can once again resemble the player that captured the Cardinals’ imagination with an opportunity to play regularly in Baltimore.