The Baltimore Orioles are gearing up for 2026, and they expect it to be a good one. The Orioles had a very good offseason and should compete for the top spot in the American League East division. Baltimore’s offseason acquisitions include signing a new first baseman in Pete Alonso, bringing in a closer in Ryan Helsley, and trading for Shane Baz to help bolster the rotation. With all the good news this offseason has brought, the Orioles have now been dealt some bad injury news regarding Jackson Holliday.
Per MLB on Fox, the Orioles’ president of baseball operations has announced that Holliday has suffered a broken hamate bone during batting practice. The injury will require surgery.
Corbin Carroll also broke his hamate bone, while Francisco Lindor is feared to have broken his. Holliday now joins the elite group of players to have suffered the injury.
What is Jackson Holliday’s Recovery Timeline?
GettyJackson Holliday will miss most of spring training.
The hamate bone is a small, hook-shaped bone just below the pinky. Breaking it is a common occurrence for baseball players. Swinging the bat with the force that MLB players do, paired with the velocity of pitches, makes it easy to break the hamate bone.
The recovery timeline is what varies. According to a study done by the National Library of Medicine, it can take as little as three weeks, while others do not return for a few months. However, the average time it takes to return to play is 45 days.
If Holliday’s recovery takes the average time, that would put his return right around opening day. But it could take a little bit longer for him to regain his normal power and swing speed.
Still, Holliday will miss most, if not all, of spring training. If he is unable to get live reps this spring, it will not be surprising to see him miss opening day.
Who Replaces Jackson Holliday?
GettyBlaze Alexander is a candidate to replace the injured Holliday.
Holliday was slotted to be the starting second baseman before this injury.
Last season, the 22-year-old slashed .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 142 hits in 149 games played. These numbers are not overly impressive, but they were a massive step forward from his rookie season.
The loss of Holliday hurts the team, but the Orioles added depth all offseason. One player Baltimore recently traded for is Blaze Alexander.
Alexander finished with an OPS over .700 last season, but his OPS+ was just below the league average. The right-handed hitter played a lot of third base, but can play second base, as well. He should get plenty of chances at second base during spring training with Holliday missing time.
Jeremiah Jackson is also a player to watch.
Jackson made his debut last season and slashed .276/.328/.447 with five home runs, 21 RBI, and 47 total hits in 48 games played. The 25-year-old played just one inning at second base last season, but could see increased opportunities at the position in 2026.
No matter who replaces Holliday, they will have some big shoes to fill.
Orioles Dealt Awful Jackson Holliday Injury News