Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday had an update to share on his injury at spring training.
The Baltimore Orioles will begin the 2026 season without one of their most important young players.
Second baseman Jackson Holliday is working his way back from a hand injury suffered earlier in spring training. Holliday fractured his right hamate bone on Feb. 11 and underwent surgery the following day.
The procedure immediately ruled him out for Opening Day, but the recovery process has progressed steadily since then. His stitches were removed in late February, and the Orioles have gradually increased his baseball activities as he moves closer to game action.
A recent update from Orioles camp offered the clearest picture yet of Holliday’s timeline. Speaking with reporters, Holliday outlined the next steps in his ramp‑up process.
“Jackson Holliday said he is expected to take live at‑bats at Orioles camp sometime this week. Unsure if he could potentially get into a game before camp breaks this weekend. He is expecting to play in Triple A Norfolk’s opening game. Still does not think the IL stint will be long,” reported Jake Rill of MLB.com.
The update indicates Holliday still needs additional time before returning to major‑league action, but the overall progress remains encouraging. Live at‑bats represent one of the most important hurdles in his recovery, especially given the nature of the injury.
Even if Holliday is unable to appear in a spring training game before camp concludes, beginning the season with Triple A Norfolk would allow him to face live pitching and rebuild timing at the plate.
If everything continues to trend in the right direction, Holliday could realistically return to the Orioles big‑league roster within the first couple of weeks of the season.
The timing matters because this year represents a pivotal step in Holliday’s young career. Now entering his third MLB season, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft is expected to take another step forward as a key piece of Baltimore’s core.
He showed flashes last season but also experienced the first extended struggles of his professional career. Holliday finished 2025 with a .242 batting average, .314 on‑base percentage and .690 OPS, along with 17 home runs, 55 RBIs and 17 stolen bases across 149 games.
While those numbers showed solid production, there were also clear areas for growth, including limiting strikeouts against big‑league pitching.
In 2026, he will look to improve his overall offensive consistency while continuing to develop defensively at second base.
For the Orioles, getting Holliday healthy and back in the lineup quickly could be crucial as they aim to return to the postseason after missing the playoffs last year.