Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday suffered an injury during spring training.
The Baltimore Orioles entered spring training with high hopes for continued growth after a competitive 2025 campaign, and much of that optimism centered around their young core.
Among those players is Jackson Holliday, the former No. 1 overall pick who completed his first full big‑league season last year. While 2025 was expected to be a breakout campaign, the results were more uneven than anticipated, making 2026 an important year for him to reestablish upward momentum rather than simply build on clear‑cut success.
In 2025, Holliday appeared in 149 games and hit .242 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs, adding 17 stolen bases. Those numbers reflected encouraging tools but prolonged stretches of inconsistency prevented him from consistently impacting the ball.
His overall offensive presence did not fully match the expectations that followed him through the minor leagues. Even so, Baltimore continued to view him as a long‑term everyday piece.
That made the timing of his recent injury particularly frustrating. Holliday suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand during live batting practice earlier this month and underwent surgery to remove the fractured bone.
The hamate, located near the outside of the wrist, is vulnerable to stress fractures from repeated swings. While painful, it is a common injury among hitters and typically does not cause lasting issues once surgically addressed.
There was encouraging news this week regarding his recovery timeline. “Jackson Holliday getting cast off right hand today. Hopes to only miss couple weeks of season #orioles,” reported Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports.
The removal of the cast is a key milestone, signaling that healing is progressing as expected. Although missing any portion of the regular season is not ideal, the possibility that he could be sidelined only a couple of weeks softens the blow.
This development is significant for the Orioles because Holliday was projected to play a major role in the infield and potentially hit in the top half of the lineup. After an inconsistent 2025, spring training represented an opportunity to refine his approach and build confidence heading into a pivotal year. Lost at‑bats during exhibition play can slow that process.
Still, the relatively optimistic timeline keeps Baltimore’s plans intact. If Holliday returns quickly and regains full strength in his wrist, he will have ample opportunity to reshape the narrative surrounding his development. For a player with his pedigree and skill set, 2026 remains a critical season, and this setback may ultimately prove to be only a temporary hurdle rather than a defining one.