In case you missed it, the Orioles activated second baseman Jackson Holliday from the injured list minutes before the start of a three-game set against Tampa Bay on Monday.
By the end of the night, one wondered whether Holliday was going to make his season debut as an emergency pitcher with Baltimore suffering an embarrassing 16-6 loss to the Rays and using third baseman Weston Wilson to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning. Though manager Craig Albernaz elected not to start Holliday against Tampa Bay lefty starter Shane McClanahan in the blowout defeat, the 22-year-old is now expected to make his season debut more than three months since suffering a broken hamate bone in his right hand in the days leading up to spring training.
Needless to say, it was a challenging recovery for Holliday compared to Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who both suffered broken hamates around the same time as Holliday and were still ready in time for Opening Day. Discomfort in his right hand prompted Holliday’s minor-league rehab assignment to be paused twice, and he went an unimpressive 13-for-74 with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks over 86 plate appearances split among Triple-A Norfolk, Double-A Chesapeake, and High-A Frederick. However, his latest rehab stint resulted in him recording a hit in each of his final four games and hitting a home run in Saturday’s Tides game, which was apparently enough to summon him back to the major league club.
While it’s fair to wonder how Holliday will fare at the plate with some who’ve had hamate injuries over the years noting how the ability to drive the ball often lags behind the return to on-field play, where the first overall pick of the 2022 draft will play could be even more interesting. Despite Holliday’s rehab not going smoothly, the organization chose to have him work at a new position as he made three starts at third base during his final rehab stint, which coincided with the injured Jordan Westburg being shut down and undergoing Tommy John surgery last week. The Orioles have received solid play from Jeremiah Jackson at second base in Holliday’s absence, but third base has mostly been a black hole with Baltimore ranking among the worst in the majors in wins above average, wins above replacement, on-base plus slugging percentage, and defensive runs saved at the position.
Having matched their season low at six games under .500 with Monday’s loss, the Orioles will hope Holliday’s return provides a much-needed spark for a club that’s just 6-10 in May. In his first full season in the majors in 2025, Holliday batted .242 with a team-high 17 home runs, 21 doubles, 55 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .690 OPS.
