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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Not in Friday's lineup
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Absent from lineup against lefty
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Back in action Tuesday
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Kjerstad (elbow) is starting in left field and batting sixth Tuesday against the Nationals, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The 26-year-old sustained the elbow bruise Saturday against the Reds and sat out Sunday's contest, but he's good to go following the Orioles' team day off Monday. Kjerstad has enjoyed a hot start to the campaign and has a .261/.300/.500 slash line with three homers, 12 RBI and nine runs in 18 games.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Not in lineup Sunday
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Leaves after getting hit on elbow
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Pushing to maintain roster spot
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Inside track on roster spot
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Orioles GM Mike Elias noted Thursday that Kjerstad is a frontrunner for a spot on the Opening Day roster, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports. "He has earned the right to get at-bats in the corner outfield and at designated hitter, especially against right-handed pitchers," Elias said.
Even after letting Anthony Santander walk in free agency, the Orioles still have a deep stable of options in the outfield and at designated hitter, as Baltimore brought in Tyler O'Neill, Ramon Laureano and Dylan Carlson to join a group that already includes Ryan O'Hearn, Cedric Mullins and Colton Cowser. Cowser and Mullins will handle the bulk of the starts in center field, but Kjerstad looks like he'll have every opportunity to stake his claim to a strong-side platoon role in a corner spot or at DH. Elias said that the Orioles don't necessarily need Kjerstad to have a big spring to secure his roster spot, but a strong showing in the Grapefruit League could certainly help him stand out from the pack. Though his playing time at the big-league level wasn't consistent last season, Kjerstad acquitted himself well in the opportunities he received, slashing .253/.351/.394 with four home runs over 114 plate appearances.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Homers in Sunday's win
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Likely to lose work to Mountcastle
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Returns from IL
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Beginning activities
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Sent down to minors
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: On bench again
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Taking seat Sunday
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Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
After spending the minimum seven days on the injured list due to a concussion, Kjerstad was activated Saturday and started in right field in the Orioles' 8-4 win, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. Though he'll take a seat Sunday against southpaw Andrew Heaney, the lefty-hitting Kjerstad could reclaim regular reps against right-handed pitching now that he's fully healthy.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: In Saturday's lineup
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Kjerstad (head) will start in left field and bat sixth Saturday against the Yankees.
Kjerstad was hit in the helmet by a pitch during Friday's contest and had to leave the game early, though he appears to have escaped the incident without any serious damage. The 25-year-old has provided a nice boost to Baltimore's lineup, slashing .378/.465/.676 with three homers and 12 RBI since being recalled from Triple-A on June 24.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Hit in head, exits game
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Kjerstad was removed from Friday's game against the Yankees after getting hit in the head by a pitch, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Kjerstad managed to turn away from the pitch, so the 96.8 mph two-seamer from Clay Holmes hit off the back of his helmet, but he was still shaken up enough to call for his removal in the ninth inning. The Orioles' training staff will examine Hjerstad in the clubhouse and put him through the concussion protocol.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Clubs three-run homer
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Kjerstad went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run during Sunday's 6-3 win over Oakland.
Kjerstad took Mitch Spence yard in the first inning, plating Ryan O'Hearn and Jordan Westburg with the three-run slam. In 51 plate appearances with Baltimore, Kjerstad has posted a .938 OPS with three homers and 12 RBI while carving out a significant role in a loaded Orioles outfield.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Sitting Saturday
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Kjerstad isn't in the Orioles' lineup for Saturday's game versus Oakland.
Kjerstad will get another day to rest Saturday after also sitting down Friday versus a left-handed starter. Austin Hays will draw another start in left field while Kjerstad sits.
