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Orioles outfielder exits vs. Reds with elbow injury

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Mike Gianakos | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 6:45 PM ET

The Baltimore Orioles are attempting to weather the storm after a brutal start to the 2025 season. The Orioles fell to 8-11 after Friday’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds and the team is 4.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East entering play Saturday.

In addition to navigating a banged up starting rotation, the Orioles are facing questions in the outfield as Heston Kjerstad was forced to leave Saturday’s contest after he was hit by a pitch, per The Baltimore Sun’s Matt Weyrich on X.

Kjerstad left the game in the first inning with right elbow discomfort. He was replaced in left field by Ramón Laureano.

Ramón Laureano gets opportunity as injury replacement for Orioles

Apr 2, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Ramón Laureano (12) hits a single during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Orioles selected Kjerstad with the second overall pick in the 2020 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and saw limited action in the majors in 2024. But Kjerstad made Baltimore’s Opening Day roster this season. He’s slashing .261/.286/.500 with three home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs scored in 17 games in 2025.

After taking over for Kjerstad, Laureano took a Hunter Greene slider deep to left center for his second home run of the season, giving Baltimore a 5-3 lead over the Reds in the third inning. It was his second homer in his last three games.

The Orioles signed Laureano to a one-year, $4 million contract this offseason. He was added to Baltimore’s roster as a veteran outfield depth piece. Laureano spent the second half of last season with the Atlanta Braves, where he bounced back from a down year in 2023. In 67 games with Atlanta, he hit 10 home runs and batted .296 with a .832 OPS.

The Orioles have endured multiple injuries to their starting rotation as Zach Eflin hit the IL and Grayson Rodriguez suffered a setback in his recovery from an elbow ailment. The team did recently get a strong outing from 35-year-old rookie Tomoyuki Sugano, who became the third Japanese pitcher in MLB history to throw at least seven innings without allowing a walk within the first four Big League starts of his career.

Sugano picked up the win on Thursday but Cade Povich got lit up for seven runs in 3.1 innings Friday and Brandon Young allowed three runs in four inning Saturday as Orioles’ starters continue to struggle.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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