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Injuries and trades made room for Jackson Holliday‘s return to the Baltimore Orioles. It took him just one game to record his first career home run, which also happened to be his first career grand slam.
Holliday sent a 85.4 mph slider from Yerry Rodriguez 439 feet into right field — onto the historic walkway of Eutaw St — against the Toronto Blue Jays.
MLB’s number one prospect spoke with reporters after the 10-4 win.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Holliday said postgame, according to Steve Melewski of MASN Sports. “Couldn’t have dreamt it up any better for the first home run. So, it’s just exciting to be able to help the team win. When I was struggling I felt like I couldn’t really do that. But to come through in a big spot is more important to me than anything else.”
Holliday says he kept it simple in his first MLB game since April 23.
“Just tried to keep simple,” Holliday continued. “The last time I was up here caught myself trying to do a little bit too much and overswing. I had some practice with it in Triple-A in big spots, to just simplify things and try to hit a line drive right at the shortstop. Got a slider. I’ve hit some homers off sliders in the past and was able to put a good swing on it.”
Back with the Orioles, Holliday will look to cement himself in the rotation ahead of playoffs. With starter Jorge Mateo out with injury, and Connor Norby traded to the Miami Marlins, there’s never been a clearer opportunity for MLB playing time.
Holliday Makes History With Grand Slam Hit
At 20 years old, Holliday is the youngest player in Baltimore’s franchise history to hit a grand slam for their first career home run, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.
Coincidingly, he’s the eighth-youngest player in MLB history to do so. And the youngest to do so since Giancarlo Stanton did it for the Florida Marlins in 2010.
Holliday’s home run ball traveled to Eutaw St, located between the ballpark and warehouse at at Camden Yards. It’s the seventh ball this season to land there, and fifth by an Oriole.
He is the first Baltimore player to make it there for his first MLB home run, and only the second player ever, according to MLB.com’s Jake Rill.
Holliday went 2-for-34 for 2 singles and 18 strikeouts over 10 appearances with the Orioles in April. He begins his second stint with a 1-for-5, 4 RBI performance in historic fashion.
Orioles Lose Jordan Westburg In Feel-Good Win
You can’t tell the story of Holliday’s grand slam without acknowledging the brutal injury that helped him there.
In the at-bat prior, Jordan Westburg took a 95 mph fastball to his left hand. He loaded the bases for Holliday’s grand slam hit, but suffered a fracture in his left hand in the process.
He’s without a timetable for return. Team skipper Brandon Hyde talked about losing the starting third baseman with reporters postgame.
“We have to pick up the pieces for him,” Hyde said on July 31. “We’ve got to play well. He is a huge part of our lineup, our culture, really everything. He’s right in the middle of everything and so we have to have other guys kind of step up in his place and fill the void.”
Westburg is slashing .271/.317/.500 for 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 2024. Baltimore will call up Livan Soto to help replace him, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports.
Soto is batting .280/.378/.376 with 4 home runs and 39 RBIs in Triple-A this season. He was acquired from the Cincinatti Reds, along with veteran outfielder Austin Slater, in exchange for cash considerations ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.
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