Baltimore Orioles Get More Talented with Young Superstar's Return

The Baltimore Orioles have a deep well of talent and the return of Heston Kjerstad gives them even more depth.

Jul 12, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Oriolesoutfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) after stands on the field after being hit by a pitch in the head during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have a great problem — great talent that consistently gets the job done. The only problem is there are only 26 spots to go around.

Before Saturday’s 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers, the Orioles activated one of their young stars, outfielder Heston Kjerstad, from the 7-day concussion list.

To make room, the Orioles optioned Kyle Stowers to Triple-A Norfolk.

Kjerstad gets his job back. But Orioles manager Brandon Hyde made it clear that Stowers has the chops to be an everyday Major League player.

“Kyle’s going to get a chance to be an everyday Major League player here at some point, either with us or with somebody else, who knows,” he said on Saturday. “You never know what this game is going to bring. But he’s putting himself in great position.”

Kjerstad, one of the Orioles’ top prospects, had been playing great baseball before the injury. This season he is slashing .314/.417/.529 with three home runs and 12 RBI.

But, after his second recall of the season, which was on June 24, he was slashing .378/.465/.676 with two doubles, three home runs, five runs, 12 RBI and four walks. During that time period he led the O’s in RBI.

He had also hit safely in four straight starts, and eight of his last 10 starts, going into his return.

He suffered the injury on July 13 against the New York Yankees. He was hit by a pitch that led both benches to clear.

On Saturday Kjerstad started and played right field. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. In his first at-bat he squared off with Cy Young winner and future Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer. He struck out. He also grounded out against Scherzer in the second inning.

The activation was a bit of a homecoming for him, too. He is a native of Amarillo, Texas, in the state’s panhandle. After starring at Randall High School, he played at Arkansas before the Orioles made him their first-round pick in 2020.

He earned a call-up earlier this season after the injury to outfielder Austin Hays, who was not in the lineup on Saturday. He didn’t get many at-bats during that stint, as he slashed .143/.294/.143/.437 in seven games and 14 at-bats.

Stowers just wrapped up his second stint with the Orioles. He was also with the team from May 13-June 19. He heads back to Norfolk with a scintillating slash line for the season — .306/.297/.500 with one home run and nine RBI.

Hence Hyde’s confidence that, one day, Stowers will get his shot.

But for now, it belongs to Kjerstad. But the Orioles have the peace of mind of knowing that whoever they play will get the job done.