Leftovers for breakfast

Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad stayed in the lineup last night against Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott. He isn’t in a platoon role, which can be explained three ways.

1. Colton Cowser is on the injured list with a fractured left thumb, which is providing more starts for Kjerstad.

2. The Orioles wanted to give Kjerstad more at-bats and opportunities this season. They were quite transparent about it in camp, and he’s homered three times in six games.

3. Kjerstad is earning the club’s trust defensively.

The last one is evident by how he’s playing in left and right, and how manager Brandon Hyde seems to field more questions about Kjerstad’s glove than his bat. And in a good way this time.

Kjerstad should be awarded a save for his sliding catch in right-center Wednesday night that prevented one and maybe two runs from scoring. The Orioles led 4-1.

“I was so excited,” Hyde said. “I feel like we’ve had opportunities to make plays defensively to end innings, which we had done in the past. You make a big play in a big moment, that’s kind of escaped us so far this year. That was a big play in a big moment for us. And great to see from Heston.

“He works so hard on his defense. Out there every single day, left and right. Busts his butt defensively the last couple years and really improved, so to see him make a play like that, that was a shot in the arm for everybody.”

Another time that Hyde was asked about Kjerstad in the field, he replied, “He’s improved a lot defensively, a lot defensively. He’s done a really good job in both corner spots, working hard at it. The last couple years and spring training this year working with (first base coach/outfield instructor) Anthony Sanders to improve his defense. You saw his arm strength, too, the other night. He showed a really good arm the other night.”

Now, about that bat. Kjerstad is slashing .353/.389/.941 with a double, three homers, eight RBIs and five runs scored since April 12.

* Fun fact: Gary Sánchez has hit 30 career home runs in interleague games, tying him with A.J. Pierzynski for seventh most among catchers based on primary career position, according to STATS.

Sánchez caught last night and went 1-for-3 with a single and two strikeouts. He was on base when Kjerstad homered off Scott Barlow.

* Can’t cover an Orioles-Reds game without thinking about the 1970 World Series.

STATS passed along a few nuggets, including how Brooks Robinson was the first third baseman to be named Most Valuable Player. The rest of the world found out what we already knew in Baltimore.

Dave McNally is the last player to pitch a complete game and hit a home run (Game 3). That one will be hard to top.

The Orioles are one of eight teams to slug .500 or better in a World Series (.508).

* Cedric Mullins kept slugging last night, hitting his fifth home run to lead off the second inning. His two homers against left-handers this season exceeds his 2024 total in 54 fewer games.

Austin Hays visited with some former teammates, including Mullins, after arriving in Baltimore with the Reds. He hadn’t returned to Camden Yards since last summer’s trade to the Phillies.

Hays signed a one-year contract with the Reds on Jan. 30 that guaranteed $5 million, including a $1 million buyout on a $12 million mutual option. Mullins, a close friend, is in his final season with the Orioles before he’s eligible to test the market.

Has Hays offered any advice?

“I think he’s doing fine right now,” Hays said with a grin.

“He got off to a hot start. I texted him a couple times and just told him, ‘Keep going.’ Happy for him that he’s off to a good start.”

Anthony Santander, another friend and former outfield mate, is getting $92.5 million over five years with the Blue Jays as a much bigger ticket item. Hays is happy for him.

“No doubt,” he said. “That’s my guy. I’ve been with Tony forever. Played with him in Double-A, big leagues. He deserves every cent of that contract. He works really hard, he’s always prepared every day and he’s a really good guy, too. I love his family, I love him. I’ve spent a lot of time with him. They got a good one in Toronto with him and he’s worth it.”

* This leftover really needs to be reheated.

Vimael Machín is batting .339/.394/.431 in 17 games with Triple-A Norfolk. He wasn’t in last night’s lineup.

Machín was a camp standout by going 18-for-45 (.400) with five doubles, a home run, 10 RBIs and a 1.016 OPS. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2022 with the Athletics, but the bat could get him there.

Though Machín is a career .208/.290/.261 hitter in 361 plate appearances over parts of three season, he’s gone 4-for-12 as a pinch-hitter. He did a lot of his damage this spring after coming off the bench. I asked how he developed that skill.

“Believe it or not, I learned that from Tommy La Stella with the Cubs,” he said. “I remember one day I sat next to him and said, ‘Hey, why are you so good as a pinch-hitter?’ And he just told me, ‘Hey man, you’ve got to take advantage of that situation. If it’s a pitch in the zone, just try to be aggressive and try to do damage,’ and that’s what I’ve been trying to do this spring.”

So, there you go.