Orioles’ Jackson Holliday hits grand slam for first MLB homer
By Pilar Rossi,
2024-07-31
Jackson Holliday made a grand entrance upon his return to Baltimore.
The 20-year-old Orioles rookie belted a 439-foot grand slam — his first MLB homer — in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s 10-4 win over the Blue Jays, one day after being recalled from Triple-A.
The 20-year-old etched his name into the MLB history books, becoming the third-youngest player in the American League to have his first career homer be a grand slam, according to OptaSTATS .
The son of seven-time MLB All-Star Matt Holliday had a short stint with the Orioles earlier this season, where he went 2-for-34 in 10 games, recording 18 strikeouts and two walks in April.
Subsequently demoted, he returned to the farm, where he showed notable growth.
“I’m definitely more prepared than I was last time,” Holliday told the Baltimore Banner on Wednesday . “Getting that debut out of the way, and all the stuff that comes with that, it’s definitely a little bit easier coming up here the second time and just being relaxed and comfortable with the environment.”
Despite missing a few games in June due to elbow inflammation, the infielder boosted his numbers in Triple-A, hitting eight homers with a .271 average and .908 OPS.
“I think it can always be looked at as a good start to learning how to fail, because this game is the worst sometimes,” he added. “To be able to go up there and fail at a high level, in the long run, I think will be very beneficial for me and my career.”
With infielder Jorge Mateo getting transferred to the 60-day injured list with a dislocated elbow, the Orioles, in need of keystone insurance, brought up Holliday — their 2022 No.1 draft pick — giving him another chance in the majors.
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