Getty Jackson Holliday throws out a runner during an April 19 game against the Kansas City Royals.
Nine games into his MLB career, Jackson Holliday has recorded just one hit, two walks, and 16 strikeouts. After waiting 633 days for his Baltimore Orioles debut, fans are starting to worry.
He’s not concerned though. Not yet, at least.
Holliday told Roch Kubatko of MASN that he’s chalking it up to an adjustment period.
“I’m going through a little bit of some adjustments right now,” Jackson told Kubatko on April 20. “Obviously, not the start I was hoping for, but the past few games I feel like there’s some good things. Like, I’ve hit the ball in the middle of the field pretty well and then a lot of off-speed pitches to the middle of the field, which I’m happy with. I had a few lineouts against Minnesota.”
Holliday batted .333/.482/.595 through 10 games and 42 at-bats with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides this season.
That hasn’t transcended to the majors. But he’s workshopping his swing and process with a notable former MLB slugger.
His dad Matt Holliday, former 2011 World Series Champion with the St. Louis Cardinals, was present for the Orioles’ series against the Kansas City Royals. And to keep his son’s confidence high while he struggles to adjust.
“We talked about the swing a little bit last night, and trying to find little things, because I don’t think I’m far off,” Jackson shared with Kubatko. “I feel good, the swing looks good. Just a few little things. Trying to work those out right now and looking forward to getting back out there.”
Fortunately for both parties, Holliday’s negative impact hasn’t reached the Baltimore Orioles win-loss record.
In the nine games he’s made an appearance in 2024, the team is 7-2.
Mark that as another reason why team manager Brandon Hyde is equally unalarmed.
Hyde: ‘It’s a Tough Place’
Hyde told reporters he checked in with Holliday as recently as April 19, to see how he’s handling a lack of results.
“I wanted to make sure his mindset was good last night,” he told Kubatko on April 20. “It is. He’s just got to keep grinding. There’s nothing else to do except keep pushing and try to relax, try to have fun. It’s impossible when you’re struggling to have fun, but try to play free and easy as best you possibly can, and hopefully you get a couple soft singles to fall.”
Baltimore’ manager walked away from that conversation with little to no concern about Holliday’s mentality.
“It’s a tough place to.” Hyde said. “I don’t think anybody, except for the people that are down here in uni, understands how hard this is. To be 20-years-old and be one year in the minor leagues and to be here says a lot about him, how talented he is. It’s a very short window and he’s going to go through struggles, and that’s part of being a professional baseball player. How you deal with it, adversity, tough at-bats. I think he’s handling it really, really well.”
That much can’t be said for the fanbase, who are growing increasingly anxious.
Fans React to Holliday’s Latest Strikeout
The 20-year-old finished the series against the Royals with an 0-for-3 game on April 21 where he gathered his second walk of the season.
But his lone strikeout of the day sparked controversy online, after he stared down a sinker right down the middle for strike three.
The pitch Jackson Holliday took for strike three with the bases loaded was right down the middle
It prompted a few responses within the fanbase, most calling for Holliday to return to the minors.
“He’s in his own head now, brief AAA stint to boost the confidence,” Twitter user @xecio45 replied.
“Thought that slider was coming and just got froze. Paralysis analysis for the young man,” wrote @akp307.
@carterbsports quoted the tweet, saying “He just looks so lost out there… it’s hard to watch.”
And @captnhook_ shared sentiments that Holliday should head back to Triple-A, writing “He’s not ready, every ab hurts him long term send him down let him get hot there and try again. Damaging his career right now.”
Five games removed from his only MLB hit, things aren’t getting any easier for Jackson Holliday. Maybe now isn’t the time for him and the Baltimore Orioles.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.