Orioles manager Brandon Hyde sent out the verbal equivalent of a bat signal, except it wasn’t for the offense.

Hyde expressed his concerns Saturday about his bullpen’s heavy workload and how the short starts take their toll. And that’s when he called for his 41-year-old pitcher to help.

“Come on, Charlie Morton,” Hyde said. “Need you.”

Morton didn’t make it through the third inning today, leaving after 2 1/3 and charged with seven runs in a 24-2 loss to the Reds before an announced crowd of 19,053 that booed the performance but enjoyed an infielder and catcher making their pitching debuts.

Their excitement began with Jorge Mateo taking the mound in the eighth, chanting his name as the Reds batted around. He loaded the bases while throwing sliders, changeups and curveballs according to the tracker, hit Blake Dunn with two outs and served up a grand slam to Noelvi Marte. Former Orioles catcher Austin Wynns singled for his fifth hit.

Heston Kjerstad walked into the clubhouse this morning with his right elbow wrapped in white tape and a smile on his face.

He seemed fine last night after leaving the game with a bruised elbow from the 99.5 mph fastball from the Reds’ Hunter Greene that slammed into his arm in the first inning. He swung both arms while walking to his locker and fist-bumped a teammate. And he went out to the field today to do a health check.

Fortunately for Kjerstad, the ball hit part of the protective elbow gear and part of the arm, which caused some numbness in his hand. He wasn’t able to bat in the third inning, and Ramón Laureano hit two home runs off the bench.

X-rays came back negative.

The timing for Kjerstad is unfortunate. He began the game slashing .353/.389/.941 with a double, three homers, eight RBIs and five runs scored since April 12.

Heston Kjerstad is out of today’s lineup after taking a 99.5 mph fastball off his right elbow yesterday and leaving the game. X-rays were negative.

Kjerstad gets an extra day to rest Monday before the Orioles begin their series in D.C.

Cedric Mullins is leading off, followed again by Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. Ryan O’Hearn is in right field.

Ramón Laureano, who homered twice yesterday off the bench, is in left field.

Jordan Westburg, who homered yesterday to snap an 0-for-30 stretch, is the designated hitter.

TORONTO – The power flickered and came back on at Rogers Centre.

The Orioles hit six home runs on Opening Day, only one last night and two in the top of the first inning today against future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer that went a combined 851 feet. Held to three hits last night, they doubled that total by the fourth – five for extra bases.

A two-run lead was lost again but returned to them, and Jordan Westburg registered his first career multi-homer game in a 9-5 victory over the Blue Jays before an announced crowd of 27,005.

Used in a non-save situation, Félix Bautista allowed a one-out double to Bo Bichette, walked Anthony Santander with two outs and struck out three with his splitter in a scoreless ninth in his first game since Aug. 25, 2023, and the Orioles can do no worse than split their first series.

“That was so exciting for all of us," said manager Brandon Hyde. "All the people in this room know what he’s gone through and how he was itching to be a part of our team last year so badly and unable to do that. I was hoping for a situation that was as low-pressure as possible. Maybe a three-run lead with the bottom of the order. But it worked out and great to see him out there. Everybody was pumped up that he was coming into the game.