After the Orioles were swept by Houston over the weekend and outscored by 14 runs, their offense needed a spark.
Heston Kjerstad did his part to provide it against the Guardians on Monday night. After he was called up from the Norfolk Tides earlier in the day, Kjerstad collected back-to-back hits with a double in the first inning and a single in the third, only his second career multihit game.
Kjerstad was a bright spot as the Orioles lost their fourth straight game, falling to the Cleveland Guardians 3-2.
“I want to be up here every day,” he said. “But you also got to understand where your feet are at, understand there’s still things you can work on and progress that can be made.”
This was Kjerstad’s second time being called up to the Orioles this season and the third time in his career. But in his previous stints, the outfielder was never able to get consistent playing time. He had just 17 plate appearances earlier this season and 33 in 2023.
Kjerstad’s major league experience has been so minimal that his average soared from .205 to .250 after his two hits. He was also the only Oriole to collect more than one hit against Cleveland.
“It’s a unique swing, but there’s a lot of damage there,” manager Brandon Hyde said.
With the rest of the team returning from a six-game road trip against the Yankees and Astros, Kjerstad brought fresh energy to the lineup.
In the eighth inning, with a runner on first, Kjerstad tallied a 13-pitch at-bat that included eight foul balls, which Hyde considered a great effort. It showed that he could “grind out” in a big moment, even though he eventually flew out to center field, Hyde said.
The 25-year-old still has to compete with the likes of Anthony Santander, Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins for playing time.
Hyde said it was a good problem for the team to have too many talented players and not enough playing time to go around. But with just one day off in the month of June, having reliable outfielders available off the bench is helpful.
The Orioles wrap up the month with two more games against the Guardians, who have the best record in the American League, and a four-game series against the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers.
Hyde indicated Kjerstad will get plenty of chances to help the team finish off the long June slog with a winning record. Prior to being recalled, MLB Pipeline’s No. 21 prospect was hitting .300 for the Tides with 16 home runs and a .998 on-base plus slugging.
“Heston had been swinging the bat really well in AAA and you’re going to see him get some at-bats up here,” he said.
