ST. PETERSBURG -- Orioles manager Craig Albernaz is excited to finally have Jackson Holliday available, no matter where he decides to play the 22-year-old infielder.
“I have confidence that Holliday can play center field right now,” Albernaz said prior to Tuesday’s game against the Rays at Tropicana Field.
Wait, will he play center at some point?
“He might catch, who knows,” Albernaz responded.
All jokes aside, Holliday and the Orioles are looking forward to making good use of the former No. 1 overall Draft pick’s superb athleticism. After being reinstated from the injured list on Monday, Holliday made his season debut Tuesday at his primary position of second base, batting seventh. However, Holliday began manning the hot corner during his most recent rehab assignment and played five games there before his activation. He’s never played third base in an MLB game, but that could change soon.
“I would like to think maybe, if I'm going out there and taking grounders and rehabbing over there,” Holliday said when asked if he expects to play third before the Rays series ends Wednesday. “I'll be as ready as I can be, I guess. If that's what's called upon me, and I'll give it all I got.
“I might not even play out there, but just to have it and be able to go out there and at least feel a little confident, a little comfortable has been fun.”
Holliday is starting to get more comfortable at the plate, too. It sure has taken a while. After undergoing right hamate surgery on Feb. 12, Holliday had to pause his rehab assignment twice, first due to right wrist soreness and then due to right hand discomfort. He returned to action on May 7 and ultimately batted .176 with a .575 OPS across 22 rehab games. However, Holliday had a hit in each of his final four rehab games with Triple-A Norfolk, including a home run on May 16 and a triple on May 17. He also walked 10 times in 22 games.
“I thought I saw the ball well, took some walks, but it was definitely much easier to get off a good swing than in the past,” Holliday said. “They weren't great, but it's rehab for a reason. Unfortunately, a broken hand isn't exactly the easiest to kind of deal with.”
Holliday said he still feels a slight bit of nagging pain near his surgical scar, but added that that is “completely normal.” What’s more important is that Holliday is confident that he can unleash his best swing without any worry of reinjury. It took him a few rehab games to gain that trust, but that’s a thing of the past; now it’s all about looking forward to how he can help the O’s in the present and future.
“As long as Holliday is in the lineup and on our team, you feel really good about it,” said Albernaz.