With stitches removed from hand, Holliday eager to ramp up activity

SARASOTA, Fla. -- From the moment Jackson Holliday returned from getting the fractured hook of the hamate bone in his right hand removed -- a surgery that took place Feb. 12 in Los Angeles -- the 22-year-old second baseman was itching to get back into workouts with his Orioles teammates. Even when he had a cast or a wrap on, he was standing on the infield dirt, taking "mental reps," as he put it.

On Monday, Holliday took a significant step forward that will allow him to get more involved in drills.

Holliday showed up in Baltimore's Spring Training clubhouse with the stitches removed from his right hand, meaning he's able to sweat again without repercussions. He'll now begin running, fielding ground balls and swinging a bat with one hand.

The former top prospect is hopeful to be a full participant before camp breaks on March 21, though the O's will continue to take it slow with Holliday, who has already been ruled out for Opening Day and isn't expected to come off the injured list until mid-April.

"As far as I know, I think that’s the goal. I think the timeline’s pretty similar, should be somewhat close to being ready," Holliday said. "It's just more of being the player that I want to be, not just rushing out there to fail and try to just make the team out of camp. So just making sure that I’m ready to roll and be the best second baseman that I can be is kind of the outlook I have.

"I could probably rush it and get back for Opening Day, but just making sure that I’m ready to roll."

Why has it been so important to Holliday to stand at second base during early workouts -- often alongside Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson -- even when he wasn't cleared for any activity?

"With some new slang, new coaches, you don’t want to be too far behind," Holliday said. "I’d rather be just behind on playing and actual reps as opposed to having to learn all of our new stuff on the fly. Just being out there, trying to be as mentally prepared as possible to come back."

Although Holliday is the second-youngest player on the Orioles' 40-man roster, he's racked up 209 games of big league experience over the past two seasons. The 2022 No. 1 overall Draft pick played 149 last year (the second most on the team) while taking a big step forward in his development, hitting .242 with 21 doubles, three triples, 17 home runs, 55 RBIs, 17 stolen bases and a .690 OPS.

After being one of Baltimore's healthiest players in the team's injury-plagued 2025 season, Holliday said he's leaning on his support system (including his family and his wife, Chloe) to deal with the unexpected adversity he's facing this spring.

"It’s just part of baseball, and hopefully, I miss not too much time -- hopefully, no time, but they’ll probably have something to say about that," Holliday said with a smile. "It's tough, but you’ve just got to be a great teammate and show up and work as hard as you can to get back out there."

O's add infield depth
The Orioles announced the signing of infielder Thairo Estrada to a 2026 Minor League deal featuring an invitation to MLB camp on Monday morning. The 30-year-old is a seven-year big league veteran who has played for the Yankees (2019-20), Giants (2021-24) and Rockies ('25).

Estrada is a career .251 hitter whose best season came in '23, when he batted .271 with 26 doubles, 14 home runs and a .731 OPS in 120 games. Last year, he slashed .253/.285/.370 with nine doubles, three homers and 21 RBIs in 39 games for Colorado, missing much of the season due to multiple injuries (right wrist fracture, left thumb sprain, left hamstring strain).

Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was San Francisco's bullpen/catching coach from 2020-23, overlapping with Estrada for three seasons.

"He's just a grindy, gritty ball player," Albernaz said. "The at-bat quality, he's a tough out. He has some pop."

Baltimore needed infield depth with Holliday and Jordan Westburg (partial right UCL tear) set to open the season on the injured list. Estrada joins Coby Mayo, Alexander, Jackson and fellow non-roster invitees Weston Wilson and Bryan Ramos as options at third base, as well as Alexander and Jackson as players who can handle second.