Player News

• Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Inside track on roster spot

  29D ago • By RotoWire

  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

  09/30/2024 • By 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.

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• Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Likely to lose work to Mountcastle

  09/25/2024 • By 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.

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• Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Three hits in Saturday's loss

  09/22/2024 • By RotoWire

  Kjerstad went 3-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch and a run scored in Saturday's 6-4 extra-inning loss to the Tigers. Over his first five games back from a six-week absence due to a concussion, he went a modest 2-for-12 with two strikeouts. Kjerstad was able to break out Saturday, but it's unlikely to lead to a significant uptick in playing time as the Orioles slowly get healthier. He's slashing .271/.374/.400 with three home runs, 12 RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base over 99 plate appearances while mainly playing against right-handed pitchers this season.

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• Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Returns from IL

  09/15/2024 • By 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.

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