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.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (concussion) did a full workout ahead of Friday's series opener at Globe Life Field in Arlington against the defending-champion Texas Rangers. Kjerstad, who was placed on the 7-day concussion injured on July 13 after being hit in the head by a pitch, is eligible to be activated ahead of Saturday's contest against the Rangers. The 25-year-old top prospect had been one of the hottest hitters in Baltimore's lineup before going down, hitting .378 (14-for-37) with three home runs, two doubles, 12 RBI, and one stolen base across 14 games since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on June 24 for his second stint in the major leagues this season. Wherever Kjerstad may have been dropped in fantasy leagues during the All-Star break, he's worth adding prior to Saturday's action to see if his hot streak carries into his imminent return to play.
Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad (head) was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Saturday, July 13. In a corresponding move, Baltimore promoted outfielder Kyle Stowers from Triple-A Norfolk. Kjerstad left Friday's game early after being hit by a pitch in the head. The Arkansas product was originally set to start in Saturday's game but was a late scratch after struggling in pregame drills. The former second-overall pick has performed very well in his latest stint in the major leagues with a .378/.465/.676 slash line, three home runs, and 12 RBI. Stowers has appeared in 17 games this season at the major league level and held a .286/.278/.486 line and could see an occasional start while Kjerstad remains sidelined.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (head) was scratched from the team's lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the New York Yankees. The 25-year-old was initially in the lineup on Saturday, a day after getting hit in the head by a 97 mph sinker from Yankees reliever Clay Holmes during Friday's loss. According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, Kjerstad went out for a pregame workout and wasn't feeling 100 percent. The Orioles are being cautious with Kjerstad and will hold him out for Saturday's game. Kjerstad is considered day-to-day, with his next chance to return to the lineup on Sunday for the series finale. Austin Hays replaces Kjerstad in the lineup and will handle left field duties for Saturday's contest. Hays is mainly an option in deep-leagues after slashing .259/.312/.413 with three home runs and 14 RBI over 56 games in 2024.
Baltimore Orioles rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad (head) will play in left field and bat in the six-hole on Saturday afternoon. Kjerstad was hit in the head during Friday's game and had to leave the game early. Fortunately, the 25-year-old avoided any serious injury as he is already back in the starting nine. Since returning to the major leagues at the end of June, the Arkansas product has performed very well with a .378/.465/.676 slash line, three home runs, and 12 RBI. The former second overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft is showcasing his elite power upside and has begun to carve out a permanent role on the major league roster. Kjerstad is worth adding in all standard leagues if available and could be a sneaky play in DFS this afternoon against Yankees right-hander Luis Gil, who has struggled with a hefty 9.37 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in his previous four starts.
Heston Kjerstad Leaves After Being Hit In The Head
Baltimore Orioles rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad (head) left Friday's series opener against the division-rival New York Yankees after being hit in the head by a pitch from Yankees closer Clay Holmes with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Kjerstad was checked by head athletic trainer Brian Ebel before coming out of the game. Before leaving, the 25-year-old went 1-for-3 with a run scored in the eventual 4-1 loss. The good news is that he was hit in the back of the helmet, but he'll surely be put through the league's concussion protocol and could land on the seven-day injured list before next week's All-Star break. Coming into Friday's contest, Kjerstad was hitting .313 (15-for-48) with three homers and 12 RBI in his first 20 games in 2024 after debuting in 2023. If he has a concussion and misses time to open the second half of the season next weekend, Austin Hays would benefit from more playing time in the O's crowded outfield picture.
Heston Kjerstad, Ryan O'Hearn Sitting Against A Lefty
Baltimore Orioles rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad and first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn are out of the lineup on Wednesday against the visiting Chicago Cubs with left-hander Shota Imanaga on the mound. Catcher Adley Rutschman will serve as the designated hitter and bat second, while Austin Hays will start in left field and bat sixth. James McCann will do the catching and hit in the nine-hole. Kjerstad was in the lineup the last two games when the team faced a left-hander, but he'll take a seat on Wednesday. The 25-year-old has fared much better in 18 games with the O's this year than he did in his debut in 2023, as he's gone 14-for-46 (.304) with three homers, two doubles and 12 RBI in 54 trips to the plate. His presence in Baltimore has led to more time on the bench for fellow rookie Colton Cowser, who is in center field and batting eighth on Wednesday.
Heston Kjerstad Hits Grand Slam, Gets On Base Four Times
Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Heston Kjerstad hit a grand slam and got on base in each of his four plate appearances in Saturday's 6-5 win over the Rangers. In addition to the slam, Kjerstad walked, was hit by a pitch, and was intentionally walked once. It was the 25-year-old's second consecutive game with a home run and he's collected seven RBI in the last two games alone. The former second-overall draft pick has been productive since his recall from Triple-A, going 5-for-12 (.417) since then. The left-handed hitter has had a strong power profile in the minors and fantasy managers looking for a second-half boost should add him, especially if he's going to be hitting in the heart of the Orioles' lineup like he did the last two games.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad had a nice day at the plate on Thursday, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs, a homer, and three RBI. Kjerstad hit a two-run homer off Jon Gray in the third after singling home a run in the first. It's been a tough go for the rookie at the major league level this season, as he just hasn't been able to find his footing. To be fair to him, it's been a lot of up-and-down and he's never really had the chance to settle in, but maybe now can be his chance to do so. He doesn't need to be added in fantasy, but he could be a decent flier in deeper leagues in the hopes he can break out.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad is expected to be recalled ahead of Monday's game. The 26-year-old was optioned to Triple-A after a short stint with the team in mid-May. During that time, Kjerstad recorded only two hits through 17 plate appearances. The Orioles didn't have enough playing time available in order for them to keep Kjerstad on the big league roster. They felt it was better if he received regular playing time in the minors. We'll see if the O's decide to give Kjerstad more at-bats this time around.
