Kjerstad (knee) went 0-for-4 in Sunday's game against Triple-A Memphis.
Kjerstad was out of the lineup for a few days over the weekend after fouling a ball off his right knee, but he's managed to avoid a trip to the 7-day injured list. The Arkansas product was demoted to Triple-A on June 10 and is batting .167 with one home run, two RBI and three runs scored in five games since.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Exits Triple-A contest
Rotowire
Kjerstad exited Thursday's game with Triple-A Norfolk after fouling a ball off his right knee, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Thursday's game was Kjerstad's fourth game with Norfolk since being demoted by Baltimore. He had gone just 2-for-15 with five strikeouts prior to exiting Thursday's game. The severity of the injury is not known.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Demoted to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Orioles optioned Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old was out of the lineup for each of Baltimore's past three games, and he'll head to the minors Tuesday with Cedric Mullins (hamstring) making his return from the injured list. The Orioles have dealt with a number of injuries in the outfield early this season, but Kjerstad was unable to take advantage with a .192/.240/.327 slash line in 167 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: On bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.
Kjerstad is hitless in his last 11 at-bats and has struck out four times during that stretch. He'll get the night off Wednesday to reset. Dylan Carlson, Cedric Mullins and Ryan O'Hearn will fill the outfield from left to right.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Taking seat Sunday
Rotowire
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Injuries are beginning to mount in the Baltimore outfield with Ramon Laureano (ankle) and Tyler O'Neill (shoulder) joining Colton Cowser (thumb) on the injured list, which has afforded Kjerstad a longer leash in the everyday lineup. However, despite starting each of the last five games, he's recorded just three hits in 20 at-bats to bring his batting average down to .202 on the season. He'll get Sunday off to clear his head while Jorge Mateo spells him in left field.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Taking seat for series opener
Rotowire
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Brewers.
Though his playing-time outlook appears to have improved in the wake of Tyler O'Neill (shoulder) returning to the injured list, Kjerstad isn't yet locked back into a regular spot in the lineup versus right-handed pitching. The newly recalled Dylan Carlson will join Ramon Laureano and Cedric Mullins in the outfield in place of Kjerstad, who has gone 3-for-19 at the dish over his last seven games to bring his average down to .211 on the season.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Snaps homer drought Wednesday
Rotowire
Kjerstad went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Twins.
After drawing a walk as a pinch hitter in the matinee, Kjerstad got the start in right field for the nightcap and crushed a Simeon Woods Richardson fastball to right field in the third inning, snapping a 17-game homer drought in the process. Kjerstad has struggled to make a consistent contribution in the majors this season, and through 99 plate appearances he has a .212/.262/.364 slash line with four home runs and 14 RBI.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Retreats to bench against lefty
Rotowire
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Though he was included in the lineup the last time the Orioles faced a lefty starter (Kris Bubic) on May 3, the lefty-hitting Kjerstad will retreat to the bench Sunday while southpaw Tyler Anderson takes the hill for the Angels. With Tyler O'Neill (neck) returning from the injured list Friday and likely to fill a full-time role in the corner outfield moving forward, Kjerstad could be deployed in a platoon at the other corner spot with the right-handed-hitting Ramon Laureano until Colton Cowser (thumb) returns from the injured list.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Not in Friday's lineup
Rotowire
Kjerstad is not in the Orioles' starting lineup against the Angels on Friday, Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan Baltimore reports.
Kjerstad will begin Friday's game in the dugout while the returning Tyler O'Neill (neck) joins Cedric Mullins and Ramon Laureano in the outfield. Kjerstad started in the Orioles' last seven games, going 7-for-24 (.292) with one stolen base and one RBI over that span.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Absent from lineup against lefty
Rotowire
Kjerstad is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Yankees.
With lefty Carlos Rodon on the bump for the Yankees, the left-handed hitting Kjerstad will yield to switch hitter Dylan Carlson in left field. Kjerstad is 2-for-17 against lefties this season.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Not in lineup Sunday
Rotowire
Kjerstad (elbow) isn't in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Cincinnati, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Kjerstad was lifted in the third inning of Saturday's contest after getting hit in the elbow by a Hunter Greene fastball. X-rays came back negative, so Kjerstad may have escaped a serious injury. Baltimore doesn't play Monday and next hits the road for a series in Washington beginning Tuesday.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Leaves after getting hit on elbow
Rotowire
Kjerstad left Saturday's game against the Reds in the third inning after getting hit by a Hunter Greene fastball on the elbow in the first inning, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
X-rays on Kjerstad's elbow came back negative after he was pulled, per Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com, so he seems to have escaped with only a bruise. Ramon Laureano replaced Kjerstad in left field and could be in for more playing time if the latter ends up needing to sit another game or two. The 26-year-old Kjerstad is off to a strong start at the plate, hitting .261/.300/.500 with three homers so far, and he's now been hit by seven pitches in 70 career major-league games.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Pushing to maintain roster spot
Rotowire
Kjerstad went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against Detroit and is now batting .257 (9-for-35) with one home run, six RBI and one stolen base this spring.
The 2020 first-rounder appears to be on track for a bench role to begin 2025, but Kjerstad's most likely pathway to regular at-bats looks to be blocked at the moment by veteran slugger Ryan O'Hearn at designated hitter. With that said, O'Hearn has gone just 4-for-30 with a lone extra-base hit during spring training, and he could start to feel Kjerstad nipping at his heels for work at some point if his struggles carry into the regular season. Kjerstad could be hard-pressed to find reps in the outfield early on, with Colton Cowser going 12-for-31 with two homers, six RBI and two steals in exhibition action.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Homers in Sunday's win
Rotowire
Kjerstad hit a solo home run in his lone at-bat during Sunday's 6-2 win over the Twins.
Kjerstad was a defensive replacement in right field and went yard when he came to the plate in the eighth inning. Since returning from a concussion in mid-September, he's gone 7-for-30 (.233) over his last 11 contests of the regular season. Kjerstad posted a .253/.351/.394 slash line, four homers, 14 RBI, eight runs scored and one stolen base over 114 plate appearances. If he makes the Orioles' postseason roster, he'll likely be a bench option.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Likely to lose work to Mountcastle
Rotowire
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
Kjerstad had occupied the designated-hitter spot in each of the previous three games and started five of the past six contests overall, but he'll likely move into more of a part-time role following Ryan Mountcastle's reinstatement from the injured list Tuesday. Mountcastle and O'Hearn will serve as the Orioles' first baseman and designated hitter, respectively, Wednesday and are expected to occupy either lineup spot in some fashion more often than not heading into the postseason.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Returns from IL
Rotowire
The Orioles reinstated Kjerstad (concussion) from the 10-day injured list Sunday.
Kjerstad will rejoin the big club for the first time since early August after he completed a six-game rehab assignment that included stops at Double-A Bowie and High-A Aberdeen during which he went 6-for-18 with a double and a 3:1 BB:K. Before he was deactivated due to the concussion, Kjerstad had been serving as a part-time player for the Orioles, though he may have a clearer path to playing time over the final two weeks of the season while Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) remains on the IL. Ryan O'Hearn has taken over as the primary first baseman in Mountcastle's absence, but the Orioles could look to the lefty-hitting Kjerstad to fill the large side of a platoon at designated hitter with the right-handed-hitting Eloy Jimenez.
Kjerstad has cleared concussion protocol and is ramping up his activities, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The hope is that Kjerstad will be ready to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk next week. He's been sidelined since early August following a recurrence of concussion symptoms and will likely need numerous rehab games before rejoining the Orioles.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Beginning activities
Rotowire
Manager Brandon Hyde said Wednesday that Kjerstad (concussion) has begun to ramp up baseball activities, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Kjerstad's concussion has kept him on the injured list since Aug. 7, though he finally seems to be turning a corner in his recovery. The O's skipper noted that there is still no timetable in place for the 25-year-old outfielder's return, but the door is not closed on him rejoining Baltimore before the end of the season.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Sent down to minors
Rotowire
The Orioles optioned Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday.
Kjerstad had seemed due for an uptick in playing time after the Orioles traded Austin Hays last week, but he started just three of the next seven games and just one of the last five contests, even as Baltimore faced exclusively right-handed starters over that stretch. With trade-deadline pickups Eloy Jimenez and Austin Slater officially added to the active roster, Kjerstad will be one of the players to lose his spot.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: On bench again
Rotowire
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays.
Kjerstad will stay on the bench for the fourth time in five games, and his playing-time outlook appears to have only worsened in the aftermath of Tuesday's trade deadline. Not only did Kjerstad stay put in Baltimore rather than being sent to a rebuilding team as part of a trade package, but he'll face more competition for at-bats at designated hitter and in the corner outfield after the Orioles acquired Eloy Jimenez from the White Sox and Austin Slater from the Reds on Tuesday. With rookie Colton Cowser seizing hold of the leadoff role against right-handed pitching, Kjerstad doesn't have a spot in an everyday outfield that typically features Cowser, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander from left to right. Meanwhile, Ryan O'Hearn and Jimenez seem poised to form a platoon at DH.
