Baltimore Orioles’ second baseman Jackson Holiday is set to miss the beginning of the upcoming season due to a fractured hamate bone in his right hand, according to Mike Elias, the team’s President of Baseball Operations. Holiday sustained the injury during batting practice last week and is scheduled for surgery on Thursday. While the Orioles have not provided an official recovery timeline, Elias indicated it will likely span several weeks beyond Opening Day.
Holiday joins other prominent players recently sidelined with hamate bone injuries, including New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who will be out for around six weeks after surgery, and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll, who also underwent surgery and will miss the World Baseball Classic, with his status for Opening Day still uncertain. Baseball Prospectus data suggests that players typically miss about seven weeks on average following hamate surgery, so if Holiday’s recovery proceeds smoothly, a return relatively early in the season is possible.
At 22 years old, Holiday was the top pick in the 2022 draft and had his first full major league season last year, hitting .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases in 28 attempts. According to Baseball Reference, his impact on the Orioles was about one additional win compared to his replacement.
In his absence, the Orioles may rely on newly acquired Blaise Alexander to fill the second base role. Alexander, 26, was brought in prior to Holiday’s injury and played 74 games last season with a .230/.323/.383 batting line, including seven home runs and four stolen bases. His contribution is estimated at 1.7 wins above a replacement player.
Fan Take: This injury is a tough blow for the Orioles, especially with Holiday’s promising potential early in his career. Hamate bone injuries are common yet tricky in baseball, and watching how the Orioles adjust could offer insight into the resilience and depth of their roster moving forward.
