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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad went 1-for-4 on Tuesday night against the Gwinnett Stripers, extending his hitting streak to eight games. Throughout this streak, he's slashing .419/.500/.774 with five doubles, two home runs, and nine home runs in 37 appearances. After a brief stint with the O's, he was demoted in the middle of May. Since his return to Triple-A Norfolk, he's slashing .348/.421/.674 with six doubles, three homers, and 14 RBI in 58 plate appearances. For the time being, Kjerstad will likely continue to dominate in minors. Given how many talented outfielders the Orioles have, it's uncertain when he'll see big-league action again.

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad extended his impressive multi-hit hitting streak to three games on Thursday with a three-hit performance in addition to hitting his 13th home run of the season. Kjerstad has been outstanding with Triple-A Norfolk this season, riding an overall .347/.427/.754 line with 44 RBI. The 25-year-old earned a promotion to the major leagues on April 23 but did not receive consistent playing time and was eventually sent back down to the minor leagues to further his development on May 13. Since his return to Triple-A, Kjerstad has posted a .344/.415/.781 line with three home runs. The number four prospect in the Baltimore system is clearly ready for the major leagues but does not have a spot to fill in the Baltimore lineup. For now, he will continue to dominate Triple-A but could be the first name called if needed to replace an injured player making him a solid stash option in most leagues.

After getting demoted earlier in the week, Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad went back to what he was familiar with and hit a home run for Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. After hitting 10 homers out of the gate for Norfolk, Kjerstad was promoted to the big-league club on April 23. Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, he only got 14 at-bats and had two hits in those at-bats. Kjerstad being sent back down has more to do with getting him everyday at-bats with that not happening at the big-league level. The Top-25 prospect has shown immense power on the farm, but it will likely take an injury or a trade for him to make an impact for managers in redraft leagues as there just is not enough for volume for him at the moment. Managers in dynasty leagues should continue to hold Kjerstad, even if it is not until 2025 that he makes a major impact.

The Baltimore Orioles optioned outfielder Heston Kjerstad to Triple-A ahead of their three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Kjerstad was one of the hottest hitters at Triple-A this season, batting an absurd .349 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in 21 games. As a result, the Orioles decided to call him up in late April. However, the left-handed slugger didn't see the playing time he deserved upon his promotion and only started four games for Baltimore over the past three weeks. He had just two hits across 17 plate appearances in 2024. The move to send down MLB Pipeline's No. 23 prospect has likely something to do with the team wanting the young outfielder to get more consistent at-bats at the plate. In a corresponding move, the Orioles called up Kyle Stowers from Triple-A Norfolk.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins is not in Saturday's lineup after starting the last three games. As a result, Colton Cowser will shift to center field which opens the door for Heston Kjerstad to start in left field. Mullins has had a disappointing season with a .193/.246/.370 across 36 games and a rough .087/.125/.130 through the start of May. Kjerstad was promoted to the major league roster on April 22 but has not had stable playing time. However, with how Mullins is struggling at the plate, Kjerstad may be given more opportunities. Kjerstad is worth inserting in your DFS lineup as he will face Ryne Nelson who enters Saturday's game with a 5.23 ERA.