Heston Kjerstad 2024

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

Maybe for service time concerns?  Not sure. 

My guess - the union objected.  You can’t option a player who’s injured and put them on the minor league IL to save service time. 

[eddie83]

14 minutes ago, Frobby said:

My guess - the union objected.  You can’t option a player who’s injured and put them on the minor league IL to save service time. 

Elias said he has some issues but didn’t report it until after he was optioned. 

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, eddie83 said:

Elias said he has some issues but didn’t report it until after he was optioned. 

I saw that, after I wrote my post.

[SteveA]

Just now, Frobby said:

I saw that, after I wrote my post.

You still might not be able to put him on the minor league IL if the "issues" stem from an injury that occurred in a major league game.   Even if the issues didn't come up until after he was sent down.

(speculation on my part)

[Frobby]

Just now, SteveA said:

You still might not be able to put him on the minor league IL if the "issues" stem from an injury that occurred in a major league game.   Even if the issues didn't come up until after he was sent down.

(speculation on my part)

I assume that’s right.  

[Tony-OH]

16 hours ago, interloper said:

Here is what MLBTR says: 

Additionally, outfielder Heston Kjerstad was placed on the IL with a concussion, retroactive to August 1. He was optioned to the minors on that date but this IL placement presumably rescinds that option.

All of this makes sense and also explains why Eloy was acquired and why Kjerstad was "optioned." Something was not right and his 2-for-18 after returning was probably a sign that he was not fully back from his concussion. Sometimes these things take longer than that and to each person it can be different. 

Hopefully with more rest Kjerstad will be back in September and ready to help the team during the stretch drive. 

[Tony-OH]

15 hours ago, Frobby said:

My guess - the union objected.  You can’t option a player who’s injured and put them on the minor league IL to save service time. 

Potentially you are correct. I think the Orioles assumed something might be up, but I doubt Kjerstad was reporting concussion symptoms still and they optioned him. Seems like not a good way to deal with players. 

My guess is Kjerstad reported more symptoms when he got to Norfolk and that is why he did not play there and eventually was put on the major league IL.

[CaptainRedbeard]

Kjerstad came into this year with 18 days of service time and has been up and down this year. He won’t qualify for a full year of service time even if he stays on the MLB roster the rest of the year, but I think it does make the difference in whether he is Super 2.

[Frobby]

8 minutes ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

Kjerstad came into this year with 18 days of service time and has been up and down this year. He won’t qualify for a full year of service time even if he stays on the MLB roster the rest of the year, but I think it does make the difference in whether he is Super 2.

If Kjerstad remained on the major league IL or the major league roster for the rest of the year, he’d finish the season with 137 days of service (including the 18 days from last year).  That would put him in very good position to be a Super 2 if he was in the majors for all of 2025-26.   It would take about 3 weeks in the minors to make it very unlikely for him to be a Super 2.  Anything less than 3 weeks leaves him in the gray area.  

[OriolesUpAndDowns]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Potentially you are correct. I think the Orioles assumed something might be up, but I doubt Kjerstad was reporting concussion symptoms still and they optioned him. Seems like not a good way to deal with players. 

My guess is Kjerstad reported more symptoms when he got to Norfolk and that is why he did not play there and eventually was put on the major league IL.

Yea, concussions and the brain are an in exact science.  I’ve seen guys be fine for a week or two after a concussion then all of a sudden they get an onset of symptoms.  If I was Kjerstad I might not say anything either though and try to push through.  Has to be tough on a young guy.  
 

Everyone responds different to the treatment as well.  Hopefully with some rest and no pressure of needing to play he can get back.  

[CaptainRedbeard]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

If Kjerstad remained on the major league IL or the major league roster for the rest of the year, he’d finish the season with 137 days of service (including the 18 days from last year).  That would put him in very good position to be a Super 2 if he was in the majors for all of 2025-26.   It would take about 3 weeks in the minors to make it very unlikely for him to be a Super 2.  Anything less than 3 weeks leaves him in the gray area.  

Thanks - interesting. I wonder if they were planning on sending him down for the 3-4 weeks before September 1 so he wouldn’t qualify and call him up when rosters expand, and now this throws a wrench in that plan.

Much more importantly than service time, I hope his concussion is minor and clears up soon so he gets back to playing in some capacity. Concussions are no joke. It will be interesting to see what level he ends up at for the rest of the year if he’s able to come back soon. 

[Frobby]

27 minutes ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

Thanks - interesting. I wonder if they were planning on sending him down for the 3-4 weeks before September 1 so he wouldn’t qualify and call him up when rosters expand, and now this throws a wrench in that plan.

Much more importantly than service time, I hope his concussion is minor and clears up soon so he gets back to playing in some capacity. Concussions are no joke. It will be interesting to see what level he ends up at for the rest of the year if he’s able to come back soon. 

I don’t think the O’s sent him down with service time in mind.  He wasn’t hitting well and the team was a bit out of balance R/L, so it made sense to send him down.  But, the service time numbers do work out that way.   Here’s the recent cutoff dates, per MLBTR:

2023: 2.118

2022: 2.128

2021: 2.116

2020: 2.125

2019: 2.115

2018: 2.134

2017: 2.123

2016: 2.131

2015: 2.130

2014: 2.133

2013: 2.122

2012: 2.140

2011: 2.146

2010: 2.122

2009: 2.139

You can see that 2.137 would have passed muster any year in the last 11 years.  Knock it down by a week and suddenly things are a lot more iffy.  

[CaptainRedbeard]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I don’t think the O’s sent him down with service time in mind.  He wasn’t hitting well and the team was a bit out of balance R/L, so it made sense to send him down.  But, the service time numbers do work out that way.   Here’s the recent cutoff dates, per MLBTR:

2023: 2.118

2022: 2.128

2021: 2.116

2020: 2.125

2019: 2.115

2018: 2.134

2017: 2.123

2016: 2.131

2015: 2.130

2014: 2.133

2013: 2.122

2012: 2.140

2011: 2.146

2010: 2.122

2009: 2.139

You can see that 2.137 would have passed muster any year in the last 11 years.  Knock it down by a week and suddenly things are a lot more iffy.  

Super helpful - thanks. Assuming he is able to play again this year, it will be interesting to see if he gets a rehab stint - still accruing MLB service time on the IL - or gets optioned quickly. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Kjerstad health update described as "mild" lingering concussion symptoms. Hoping he can get better and rejoin the team for September.

 

[RZNJ]

Eric_Birdland

@Eric_Birdland

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13h

Great news!

Quote

Miriam Luz

@Miriamluzzzz

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13h

Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad will start rehabbing at High-A Aberdeen IronBirds this week