Heston

Kjerstad

That’s the good news. The bad news is that manager Craig Albernaz told reporters that Kjerstad remains without a timetable for a return. The 27-year-old outfielder suffered a hamstring strain in spring training, and is looking at a role that doesn’t have fantasy relevance whenever he gets back to Baltimore.

Kjerstad was enjoying a strong spring, but injured his hamstring over the weekend and now will be sidelined for a few weeks. He will then have to hit his way back into another MLB opportunity.

Kjerstad is heading to Baltimore to undergo further imaging to determine the severity after suffering the injury earlier this week. The latest development guarantees that he’ll open the season on the injured list and takes him out of the running for a bench role. There should be a clear return timeline at some point next week.

Kjerstad’s homer off Connor Prielipp was his second of the spring, and he’s sporting a .318/.348/.636 line in 23 plate appearances. He’s trying to overtake Leody Taveras or Dylan Beavers for a spot on Baltimore’s roster, but that seems like a lot to ask for after a 2025 season in which he hit .192/.240/.327 in 167 plate appearances in the majors and even worse than that in 27 minor league games. He probably needs to go back and excel in Triple-A for a spell.

Kjerstad was not necessarily in the plans to start the season on the Opening Day roster, but the former top prospect has gone 6-for-14 so far this spring with one home run, two RBI, and just one strikeout in five games. Last year was a tough year for the 27-year-old, but after watching Kyle Stowers emerge in Miami, the Orioles may not be ready to give up on another former top prospect outfielder. The issue for Kjerstad is that Tyler O’Neill and Leody Taveras have no minor league options, so it may be a battle between Kjerstad and Dylan Beavers for the final spot on the Orioles’ roster.

Kjerstad opened the scoring in the contest, belting a full-count slider from Jack Flaherty for a 399-foot (100.5 mph EV) solo shot that got the Orioles on the board in the top half of the first inning. The 27-year-old outfielder also grounded out twice, finishing the afternoon 1-for-3. With a strong showing in Grapefruit League play, Kjerstad has a chance to earn regular playing time in the Orioles’ lineup to start the 2026 campaign, which would make him an intriguing late-round option for fantasy purposes.

Baltimore’s newly-minted skipper added that he’s eager to work with the former top prospect this spring to get him back on track. Kjerstad missed the final two months of last season at Triple-A Norfolk with an undisclosed medical issue. The positive news is that he’s made a full recovery and will be a full-go at the outset of spring training. The 26-year-old former second-overall pick has faded from fantasy relevance in recent years but a clean bill of health and a different manager could help revive his career. His most likely path to regular at-bats involves prying playing time away from top prospects Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo in a hybrid role between right field and DH. He’s a name to watch in spring training, especially in deeper mixed leagues.

Kjerstad refused to expound upon what type of condition Kjerstad is dealing with, but said that “Kjerstad will be in Spring Training.” It’s hard to know for sure how long the 26-year-old outfielder was battling whatever condition he’s battling, but it would be safe to say that it was at least partially responsible for a poor season that saw him hit .192/.240/.327 with four home runs in 167 MLB plate appearances.

To this point, the Orioles have not divulged more about what Kjerstad is dealing with. Interim manager Tony Mansolino said, “I’m not ready to share yet, but I will talk about it over and we will figure out what we want to share with you guys, but nothing yet.” We’re hoping for the best for Kjerstad.

The 30-year-old is a free agent at the end of the season, so it makes sense for an Orioles team that is falling out of the playoff race to see what they can get for him at the deadline. That would open up playing time for Heston Kjerstad, Ramon Laureano, and Dylan Carlson this season, but also Jud Fabian or Dylan Beavers in 2026. Mullins is hitting just .220/.306/.430 in 62 games but has 12 home runs and eight steals, which could provide some fantasy juice if he lands in a good spot. Passan lists the Mets, Guardians, and Phillies as the best fits for the center fielder.