What the Forrest Wall signing says about this Orioles outfielder

On Wednesday afternoon the Orioles claimed outfielder Forrest Wall off waivers and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Wall had spent time with both the Braves and the Marlins in 2023, although the majority of his playing time came in the minors with both organizations.

Wall will step into the Tides lineup and immediately provide solid outfield defense and speed on the basepaths. He's stolen just 16 bases this year but popped off for 57 combined steals in 2023 and stole 52 bags back in 2022.

With the news that Jorge Mateo will miss the rest of the year after undergoing UCL surgery on his non-throwing elbow, our own Brian Barr has already speculated that Wall will serve as a defensive replacement and pinch runner in Baltimore, similar to how Mateo would work in the postseason.

However, the addition of Wall might tell us a bit more about how the Orioles are currently feeling about another injured outfielder.

The Forrest Wall addition could be a signal that Heston Kjerstad isn't ready to return

Heston Kjerstad has been on the IL with concussion symptoms since August 7. He initially went down with a concussion in the middle of July but returned after the minimum stay. He played poorly in his return to Baltimore and the Orioles optioned him to Norfolk.

However, Kjerstad never played with the Tides after his demotion and the Orioles were forced to recall him and place him on the major league IL.

Brandon Hyde came out on Wednesday afternoon and told reporters that Kjerstad is beginning to ramp up baseball activities but given the length of his absence and the lack of clarity on what Kjerstad is actually doing, it seems clear that the Orioles don't expect him back in the short term.

Kjerstad had been a vital piece of the Orioles offense prior to his injury in July but concussions can be nasty injuries, with symptoms lingering for months after the initial sustained injury. For all we know, Kjerstad could be dealing with light sensitivity, migraines, or balance problems even this far removed from the initial concussion.

The fact that the Orioles have added Wall could certainly have more to do with Mateo than it does with Kjerstad. One way or another, the Orioles will need to have enough players available when we get to October, and only players in the system prior to August 31 are eligible to be on the postseason roster.

But with Wall coming aboard, one has to wonder whether he's coming into the organization to help provide insurance against the possibility that Kjerstad won't be able to return to full health prior to the end of the year.