Baltimore Orioles Moving Star Outfielder to Bowie to Continue Injury Rehab

The Baltimore Orioles are closer to getting one of their young outfielders back after dealing with a concussion.

Jun 30, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) reacts after hitting a double during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles moved outfielder Heston Kjerstad to Double-A Bowie so he could continue his rehab from a concussion, per the Baltimore Sun.

Kjerstad began his rehab assignment with High-A Aberdeen on Saturday and played three games, as he batted .375 (3-for-8) with a double and an RBI. He drew a walk and did not strike out.

Moving him to Bowie brings him closer to joining the Orioles sometime this month.

The concussion has been an issue for the 25-year-old since early July.

The Orioles first placed him on the 7-day concussion list on July 13 after he was hit in the head by a pitch during their final series before the All-Star break.

He was activated seven days later and played about a week but went 2-for-18 over seven games and then told the Orioles he was experiencing concussion symptoms.

The Orioles placed him back on the 7-day concussion list on Aug. 1 and then moved him to the 10-day IL on Aug. 7.

In 28 games for Baltimore, Kjerstad has a slash line of .261/.370/.420/.790 with three home runs and 12 RBI. He’s made great improvement from his short MLB stint last year (13 games, slash line of .233/.281/.467/.748 with two home runs and three RBI).

The Orioles’ first-round pick in 2020 started this season with Triple-A Norfolk and he has a slash line of .300/.397/.601/.998 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI in 56 games.

When Baltimore first called him up in April, he was coming off a week in which he was named the International League Player of the Week after he batted .444 with nine runs, three doubles, six home runs, 21 RBI and five walks. He had a slash line of .531/1.222/1.753 that week.

He also set a Norfolk Tides record for most RBI in a game when he drove in 10 runs in a 27-11 win over Charlotte.

He struggled again in the Majors and was sent back to Norfolk on May 13.

When he returned to Baltimore on June 24, he brought that big bat with him. In six games in June he batted .438 with two home runs and eight RBI. The day he took the baseball to the head he was batting .312 for the season, with three home runs and 12 RBI.

Baltimore has four outfielders on the active roster — Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and Austin Slater. The Orioles also have other players that can flex into the outfield.