Everything was looking great in Sarasota. Jackson Holliday arrived early. In good shape. Effective offseason. The coaching staff said he “looked great.”
And then, just one live batting practice session.
A fractured hamate in his right hand. Surgery. Missed Opening Day.
An unexpected blow—literally.
General Manager Mike Elias confirmed Holliday will be out for several weeks and will not be available when the season begins. This is a fairly common injury for hitters, and not a long-term concern. But “not a long-term concern” doesn’t help when the April schedule starts counting down.
Holliday is only 22 years old. The No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. The son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday. And more importantly, one of the young pillars the Orioles are pinning their hopes on for the next leg of their journey after a season that nearly reached the World Series.
Last year, he hit .242 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs in 149 games. Not a superstar, but enough to show a foundation is being built. This year, he’s expected to take it a step further.
Instead, the Orioles have to rewrite their plans before the pitchers even finish their first bullpen.
Blaze Alexander – the newly acquired signing – is likely to fill the gap at second base. A temporary solution. But temporary isn’t what you want to hear when talking about the infield position of a team aiming for October.
And Holliday isn’t the only name causing the coaching staff to glance at the medical board. Jordan Westburg is dealing with a right oblique injury, although there’s currently no indication he’ll miss Opening Day.
Two signals at once. Two slight ripples in the infield.
In baseball, the hamate bone is a classic injury for hitters. Surgery usually provides a permanent solution. But regaining power and feel for the ball can take time. Sometimes, power returns slower than expected.
That’s the part the Orioles will be watching closely.
Craig Albernaz said bluntly: “I just feel for Jackson. He had a fantastic offseason.” Sometimes, injuries don’t come from fatigue or overuse — they come from unexpected moments.
The issue isn’t whether Holliday will return healthy. It’s highly likely he will.
The issue is rhythm.
The Orioles enter 2026 feeling they’ve learned their lesson from their near-championship. Things need to be smoother. More consistent. Fewer gaps.
And now, one of the central pieces of the new generation will be absent from the opening whistle.
It might just be a delay of a few weeks. Perhaps when he returns, the story will simply be “start slow, then speed up.”
But in a division where there’s no room for missteps, every week counts.
The question isn’t whether Jackson Holliday has the talent to overcome this injury.
The question is: when he returns, where will the Orioles be on the leaderboard — and will this unexpected blow have a longer-lasting impact than they anticipated? ⚡
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