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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Starts up rehab at High-A
Rotowire
Kjerstad (concussion) began a rehab assignment with High-A Aberdeen on Saturday and has gone 2-for-5 with a walk and a run over his first two contests with the affiliate.
Kjerstad served as Aberdeen's designated hitter Saturday, then played five innings in right field Sunday. He'll likely remain in the minors during the upcoming week as he looks to regain his timing at the plate while he's been sidelined since late July while recovering from a concussion. Once Kjerstad is activated from the 10-day injured list, the Orioles may not have regular playing time available for him at the big-league level, so he could be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.
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
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.
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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.
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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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Taking seat Sunday
Rotowire
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: Placed on concussion IL
Rotowire
The Orioles placed Kjerstad on the 7-day concussion injured list Saturday.
Kjerstad was scratched from Saturday's lineup after participating in pregame drills, and he'll now land on the 7-day IL as a result of getting hit in the head by a pitch Friday. Kyle Stowers was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to replenish Baltimore's outfield depth.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: In Saturday's lineup
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Taking seat Friday
Rotowire
Kjerstad is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers.
Kjerstad clubbed his first home run of the season in Thursday's win over the Rangers in what was his third straight start against a right-hander. However, he will begin this one on the bench versus Texas righty Max Scherzer. Colton Cowser will occupy left field for the Orioles.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Hits first homer of season
Rotowire
Kjerstad went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, an additional RBI, two total runs and a walk Thursday in an 11-2 rout of the Rangers.
Kjerstad kicked off a big offensive game by Baltimore with a run-scoring single in the first inning and added a two-run homer in the third. The long ball was the first of the season for the 24-year-old, who returned from the minors Monday following a largely unsuccessful stint in the majors earlier in the campaign. Kjerstad's second go-round has been much better than his first so far, as he's gone 4-for-11 with two extra-base hits across four games since his most recent call-up.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Draws start in left field
Rotowire
Kjerstad will start in left field and bat seventh in Wednesday's contest against the Guardians.
The left-handed-hitting Kjerstad sat out Tuesday's game versus a southpaw, but he's now started both contests against right-handers since being called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday. Kjerstad had two hits -- including a double -- in Monday's 3-2 loss.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Officially summoned from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Orioles recalled Kjerstad from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday.
Kjerstad will get another shot with the big club but it's uncertain whether he'll see regular at-bats. He played sparingly during his last stint, starting just four times over a 17-game stretch. Colton Cowser has slashed just .183/.285/.299 since the beginning of May, so it's possible Kjerstad will eat into his playing time in the outfield.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Returns to minor leagues
Rotowire
The Orioles optioned Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday.
Kjerstad's stint with the big club came and went with a relative whimper, as Baltimore didn't give him many opportunities after he was called up from Triple-A on April 23. He made just four starts during his 17-game stay in the majors, recording a pair of base hits and two walks over 17 plate appearances. The Orioles remain at close to full health in the infield and outfield and don't have an opening in the lineup for Kjerstad at the moment, so the 25-year-old will move back to Norfolk so that he can play on an everyday basis. Baltimore called up outfielder Kyle Stowers from Triple-A to take Kjerstad's spot on the 26-man active roster.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Promotion made official
Rotowire
The Orioles recalled Kjerstad from Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday.
Kjerstad had gotten off to an unbelievable start at Norfolk this season, slashing .349/.431/.744 with 10 home runs over 21 contests. It could be tricky finding consistent playing time for Kjerstad given the Orioles' bevy of options, but the left-handed batter will certainly be in the mix for starts between designated hitter, the corner outfield spots and first base against right-handed pitching.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Set for Tuesday promotion
Rotowire
Kjerstad is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Kjerstad could have difficulty seeing consistent playing time on a talented Baltimore roster, but he figures to get chances in the DH slot as well as in the corner outfield spots when his name is listed on the lineup card. Kjerstad has been mashing with the Tides, slashing .349/.431/.744 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI, one stolen base and 25 runs in 86 at-bats.
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Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Plates 10 runs at Triple-A
Rotowire
Kjerstad went 5-for-7 with two home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI and two additional runs Wednesday in Triple-A Norfolk's 26-11 win over Charlotte.
The Norfolk roster features four of the top position prospects in baseball in Kjerstad, Jackson Holliday, Connor Norby and Coby Mayo, and the quartet lived up to its billing Wednesday in a rout of Charlotte. Kjerstad led the way with five hits and 10 RBI, but Holliday, Norby and Mayo combined for 11 hits and six RBI while No. 5 batter Kyle Stowers chipped in two home runs and seven RBI of his own. On the heels of his blistering performance at the dish, Kjerstad now owns a monstrous 1.785 OPS over five games for Norfolk on the season.
