Jackson Holliday, in his initial three games with the Baltimore Orioles, has struggled at the plate, going hitless in 11 at-bats with seven strikeouts and one RBI, resulting in a .000 OPS and positioning him among the least productive hitters in baseball. Despite these early difficulties, Holliday remains unperturbed.
“It’s three games,” Holliday emphasized to Luke Jones of BaltimorePositive.com following Baltimore’s lopsided defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers, which marked his home debut at Camden Yards. “It feels like longer, but it’s just three games. To be able to adjust is the most important part about this game because you fail a lot. I was able to do that in spring training.”
Holliday’s promotion on April 10 catapulted him to the Orioles as baseball’s top prospect, adding to the influx of homegrown talents gracing the major leagues for Baltimore. However, until he finds his rhythm on the field, his ascent may not feel entirely tangible for fans, and the team’s potential remains uncertain.
Fortunately, despite Holliday’s three strikeouts in his first major league loss, his individual performance wasn’t a significant factor.
Tyler Wells, the starting pitcher for the Orioles against the Brewers, endured a challenging outing, lasting just four innings and allowing six hits and four runs, resulting in a 5.87 ERA for his third start of the season. Following the game, Wells expressed frustration with his performance, acknowledging that he failed to give the team a chance to win.
“I didn’t give the team a chance to win the game today,” Wells lamented. “And that really pisses me off. I’m going to go out there throughout this next time into my bullpen [session] and get ready for the next one and take care of business.”
Wells conceded a home run to Gary Sanchez, who had been hitless in 12 at-bats prior to that game. Reflecting on his overall performance this season, Wells described it as “mediocre,” attributing his struggles to poor pitch locations.
“I think it’s kind of the same thing that’s been going on, a very mediocre start to the season,” Wells admitted. “It was just poor locations. Really, that’s all I can say about it. I’d like to say the Sanchez pitch was a mistake, but we put it right where we wanted to and he just happened to be on it. Other than that, I think everything else was just mistake pitches down the middle. Can’t happen.”
Tyler Wells stands out as the first Orioles starter to fall short of completing the fifth inning in a game this season. Additionally, his 5.87 ERA places him second only to Cole Irvin among starters. Notably, Wells has managed to strike out only 13 of the 67 batters he has faced.
Comparing his performance to the previous season, Wells has encountered a notable increase in home runs surrendered. In 2023, he allowed 25 home runs across 118.2 innings pitched. However, in the current season, he has already given up three home runs in just 15.1 innings pitched.
Despite Jackson Holliday’s initial struggles at the plate, the off-field festivities surrounding his debut at Camden Yards provided fans, and likely Holliday himself, with enough excitement to overshadow his batting woes, at least for the time being.
Holliday received a heartwarming welcome and a standing ovation during his first game at Camden Yards, undoubtedly leaving a positive impression on both him and the fans.
A standing O from O’s fans for @J_Holliday7‘s home debut! 👏 pic.twitter.com/NizuZz16ip
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2024
Following the game, Jackson Holliday shared his gratitude for the warm reception from the fans at Camden Yards. “That was awesome,” Holliday expressed. “Obviously, their support is awesome. It always has been through all the [minor-league] affiliates, but to finally be here, it was a really special moment.”
Despite the festivities surrounding his debut, including receiving a number seven jersey from the Ripken family and the unwavering support of his teammates, Holliday’s hitless start at the plate remains a glaring concern. However, both the Baltimore Orioles and Holliday himself remain optimistic about the future.
While it’s easy to be swept up in the excitement of the moment, the Orioles and Holliday understand that there’s work to be done. The team and the young prospect are eager to move past this initial struggle and showcase the talent that earned Holliday his spot in the majors.