Jackson Holliday’s 2026 season appears to be headed for an early finish, leaving the Orioles to cover second base while they chase a fading postseason chance over their final six games.
Manager Craig Albernaz said before Monday’s game against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards that Holliday is not expected to return this season. Baltimore has three home games remaining against Toronto before closing the schedule with a three-game trip to New York to face the Yankees.
Holliday went on the 10-day injured list last Wednesday, with the move dated back to the previous Tuesday, because of inflammation in his left wrist. The 22-year-old infielder saw a wrist specialist in Baltimore on Saturday, though the club had not released the findings before Monday’s series opener.
“He’s still getting evaluations and looking at the possibilities with the wrist,” Albernaz said. “We should know more in the next few days, probably by the end of the week.”
A stop-and-start third season
The left wrist issue is another interruption in a difficult year for Holliday. He had surgery on his right hamate in the middle of February and opened the season on the injured list, not reaching the Orioles’ lineup until May 19.
Across 98 games in his third Major League campaign, Holliday batted .229 with 12 doubles, a triple, seven homers, 30 RBIs and a .640 OPS.
The first overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft entered pro ball as baseball’s top-ranked prospect, and Baltimore remains confident there is more growth ahead. His attention now appears likely to turn toward getting healthy for 2027 rather than squeezing into the season’s closing week.
Second base remains in motion
Jeremiah Jackson has taken the larger share of the starts at second since Holliday went down. José Barrero started there for Monday’s opener against Toronto.
There could be another option before the schedule runs out. Utility player Blaze Alexander, sidelined by lower-back discomfort, may return before the season ends. If he is cleared, the 27-year-old is expected to receive opportunities at second base.
Baltimore entered Monday at 75-81, five games behind the third American League Wild Card position. The Orioles have only six games left to make up that ground, and they may have to attempt it without one of the young infielders they hoped would be part of the club’s everyday core.
