Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (elbow) is starting in left field and is batting sixth on Tuesday against the Washington Nationals and left-hander Mitchell Parker at Nationals Park. Kjerstad will be available for the series opener against the Nats after sitting on Sunday following a bruised elbow that he suffered on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds. While Kjerstad has been swinging the bat well early in the season for the O's, fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere in DFS while he faces a left-hander on Tuesday. He's gone 2-for-7 against southpaws early on, but all three of his home runs and all but one of his 12 RBI this year have come against right-handed pitchers. The 26-year-old outfielder enters Tuesday's contest slashing .261/.300/.500 with three homers, 12 RBI and nine runs scored in his first 18 games for Baltimore.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (elbow) was forced to exit early during Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Kjerstad was pulled out of the contest after getting hit in the elbow by a pitch from Hunter Greene in the first inning. The X-rays were negative and the team is calling the injury right elbow discomfort. For now, Kjerstad should be considered day-to-day, but the expectation is that he'll undergo further evaluation. Ramon Laureano took over on Saturday and figures to see more playing time if Kjerstad is forced to miss time.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad turned in a productive game in a 6-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Kjerstad went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer and a walk in the winning effort. The 26-year-old outfielder plated the final two runs of the game with a 400-foot two-run homer off Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee in the sixth inning. Kjerstad is now hitting .233 with two homers, eight runs, and 10 RBI across 43 at-bats in the first month of the season.
Heston Kjerstad Due For More Action Against Righties
Per Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad is set for more playing time against right-handed pitchers in the absence of teammate Colton Cowser (thumb). Cowser recently fractured his thumb sliding for a base and is expected to miss six to eight weeks while he recovers. In the meantime, Kjerstad will slot in against righties while fellow outfielders Ramon Laureano and Dylan Carlson will get some run against lefties. Kjerstad -- a former first-round pick -- tore up minor league pitching at every stop since joining the organization in 2022 but hasn't been able to put it together in the majors just yet. He'll get an extended look with Cowser on the mend.
Heston Kjerstad A Front-Runner For Opening Day Roster Spot
Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias sees outfielder Heston Kjerstad as a front-runner for an Opening Day roster spot this year. "He's has earned the right to get at-bats in the corner outfield and at designated hitter, especially against right-handed pitchers," Elias said. Anthony Santander left in free agency, but the O's added outfielders Tyler O'Neill, Dylan Carlson and Ramon Laureano and also have Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, and Ryan O'Hearn. Still, the 26-year-old Kjerstad should see plenty of playing time against right-handed pitchers, either in a corner outfield spot or at designated hitter. He has nothing left to prove in the minors. In the big leagues, he's struck out nearly 30% of the time but also has a 46.5% hard-hit rate. With more playing time, Kjerstad is certainly worth a bench spot for outfield depth in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.
Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad (concussion) begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Saturday with High-A Aberdeen and has gone 2-for-5 with a walk and a run scored in his first two games. On Sunday, Kjerstad went 2-for-2 with a run and a walk before being replaced in right field. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder served as the designated hitter in his first rehab appearance on Saturday. Kjerstad has been away from the Orioles since suffering a concussion in late July. It's a good sign that he's now playing in games again, but it's unknown how long he'll be on a rehab assignment before being an option to rejoin Baltimore's big-league roster as outfield depth to close out the 2024 regular season. There's a very realistic chance that Kjerstad is sent to Triple-A Norfolk, instead of the majors, once he's finished with his rehab assignment.
Heston Kjerstad Goes On Injured List With Concussion
After initially being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk late last week, the Baltimore Orioles placed rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad (concussion) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 1) on Wednesday due to a concussion. It's the second time this year that Kjerstad has been on the IL due to a concussion, which is pretty concerning. After coming off his first stint on the IL on July 20, the 25-year-old had just two hits in 18 at-bats with seven strikeouts, and it appears he still hasn't fully recovered from his head injury. Head injuries are pretty serious, so there will be no timetable for his return to action at Norfolk, let alone in the big leagues again with the Orioles in 2024. Kjerstad has hit .261 (18-for-69) with three homers and 12 RBI in just 28 games for the O's this year, and given Baltimore's crowded outfield picture, there's no clear path to playing time the rest of the way if he gets past his concussion symptoms.
Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday afternoon. This was Kjerstad's second stint in the major leagues this season and the third opportunity in his career. Since being promoted to Baltimore on June 24, the Arkansas product posted a strong .291/.391/.491 line with three home runs, 12 RBI, and a 7:18 BB:K ratio. However, he was unable to find stable playing time in the outfield during this stint, as he rarely started in consecutive games. At the trade deadline, the Orioles acquired slugger Eloy Jimenez from the White Sox and depth outfielder Austin Slater, which created a further logjam in the outfield. The 25-year-old will now return to the top level of the minor leagues, where he has performed exceptionally well over the past two summers, holding a .299/.382/.541 line. The former second-overall selection should still be rostered in all keeper and dynasty formats but could be let go in shallower redraft leagues as he may not get another opportunity in the majors until later in the summer.
Heston Kjerstad, Connor Norby Out For Game 1 Of Doubleheader
Baltimore Orioles rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad and second baseman Connor Norby will both start on the bench on Monday for Game 1 of a doubleheader against the visiting division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Fellow rookie Colton Cowser is starting in left field and is batting leadoff, while Jordan Westburg will play second base and hit sixth against Blue Jays rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez. In Baltimore's crowded outfield, Kjerstad has been a part-time player and is hitting .277 (18-for-65) with three homers and 12 RBI in just 27 games played. Norby should return to duties at the keystone in Game 2 and is the O's primary second baseman with Jorge Mateo (elbow) set to miss significant time. The 24-year-old prospect has intriguing long-term upside but has gone only 5-for-28 (.179) with two homers, three RBI and 10 K's in his first eight MLB games in 2024.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (head) was reinstated from the 7-day concussion injured list on Saturday afternoon. The rookie was hit in the head by a pitch from the New York Yankees' Clay Holmes last weekend. The Orioles sent outfielder Kyle Stowers down to Triple-A in a corresponding move. The left-handed hitting Kjerstad is hitting .314 with three home runs, 12 RBI, one stolen base, and five runs scored in 60 plate appearances. Kjerstad is starting in right field and hitting fifth on Saturday against veteran Max Scherzer and the Texas Rangers.
Heston Kjerstad
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Orioles
