The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball this season. They came into the year with huge expectations after two straight playoff appearances but have done nothing but underperform.
For a while, most of the blame was on the starting pitching. To be fair, the Orioles have one of the worst starting rotations in baseball this season; pitchers like Charlie Morton and Kyle Gibson have gone out and lost games for the Orioles. Young lefty Cade Povich seems a bit in over his head at this point, too.
But the pitching staff isn't the only reason this team has struggled so badly. The lineup has been quite underwhelming at times, too, from established veterans like Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle to the team's highly touted young talent — one outfielder who could be off the roster in the next few weeks if he doesn't turn his play around.
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Heston Kjerstad would benefit from a stint in Triple-A
Former No. 2 overall pick Heston Kjerstad has bounced between the big leagues and the Minors over the last two seasons. During the 2023 and 2024 campaign, he was around a league-average hitter at the MLB level; he slashed .248/.336/.411 with an OPS+ of 115 over 52 games between those two seasons.
Kjerstad came into the 2025 season with an everyday role seemingly waiting for him. But he's been overmatched more often than not: On the year, he's slashing .204/.254/.336 with an OPS under .600 and a negative WAR. This kind of offensive production is unacceptable for Kjerstad, especially considering he's a well-below average defender.
The 26-year-old would benefit tremendously from a stint in the Minor Leagues. In Triple-A, he would be able to find his swing again and hone his approach without having to face pitchers like Garrett Crochet and Max Fried on a regular basis. A demotion would also allow him to continue improving as an outfielder without costing the big-league team runs and outs.
Kjerstad has a big future with the Orioles, but right now, he's hurting the team. If the Orioles give him a few weeks in Triple-A, he could improve across the board and return to Baltimore with a newfound confidence and approach.