O's place Kjerstad on seven-day concussion list
The Baltimore Orioles placed Heston Kjerstad on the seven-day concussion list, the team announced on Saturday.
The move comes after the 25-year-old rookie outfielder was hit in the head by a Clay Holmes pitch in the ninth inning of Friday's 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees.
In a corresponding move, outfielder Kyle Stowers was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.
On an 0-2 count, Holmes hit Kjerstad in the helmet with a 96.8 miles-per-hour sinker. The benches immediately cleared with O's manager Brandon Hyde attempting to make his way to the Yankees dugout before being stopped by catcher Austin Wells. Hyde was ejected and Kjerstad was lifted from the game with Austin Hays coming in as a pinch runner.
"It’s an emotional time at that time," Hyde said after the game. "I got my guy who just got hit right in the ear. I’m upset and then I see their dugout. They’re waving at me and yelling at me, so I just didn’t appreciate it at the time."
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he understood Hyde's frustration.
“I understand him coming out," Boone said. "Being hot and one of your guys gets hit like that it’s scary, you know? Looked like some things were directed at Clay. I’m not going to get too much into it other than say I’m glad it didn’t get too carried away.”
The second overall pick of the 2020 MLB Amateur Draft out of Arkansas, Kjerstad has appeared in 21 games this season.
The native of Amarillo, TX was batting .314 with 16 hits, three home runs, 12 runs batted in and an OPS of .946 in 60 plate appearances.