Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday will be sidelined at the beginning of the regular season after breaking the hamate bone in his right hand, Baltimore’s president of baseball operations, Mike Elias, announced on Wednesday. Holliday sustained the injury during batting practice last week and is scheduled for surgery on Thursday. While the Orioles have not provided a specific recovery timeline, Elias indicated the healing process will take several weeks beyond Opening Day.
Other Players Also Affected by Hamate Bone Injuries
Holliday joins a growing group of prominent players missing time due to hamate bone issues. Francisco Lindor, the New York Mets shortstop, is expected to be out for approximately six weeks after undergoing similar surgery. Meanwhile, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks also had hamate surgery on Wednesday and will miss at least the World Baseball Classic, although his availability for Opening Day remains uncertain.
Expected Recovery Time Based on Past Cases
According to Baseball Prospectus, which tracks hamate surgeries, players typically miss about seven weeks on average following this type of procedure. While every case is different, Opening Day 2026 is about six weeks away. If Holliday’s healing follows the usual timeline without complications, he could return relatively early in the season.
Jackson Holliday’s Background and Recent Performance
The 22-year-old Holliday was the top overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft and completed his first full major league campaign last year, batting .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases on 28 attempts. His overall contributions were valued at roughly 1 Win Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference data.
Potential Roster Adjustments During Holliday’s Absence
To cover the gap at second base, the Orioles may turn to Blaze Alexander, a recent acquisition made prior to Holliday’s injury. Alexander, 26, played 74 games last season, hitting .230/.323/.383 with seven home runs and four stolen bases, earning an estimated 1.7 Wins Above Replacement. This move could provide the Orioles with some stability while Holliday recovers.
Jackson Holliday has a broken hamate bone in his right hand. He will get surgery tomorrow and will miss opening day, Mike Elias said.
Holliday suffered the injury Feb. 6 during live batting practice. His timeline after opening day will be “measured in weeks,” Elias said.
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) February 11, 2026
Francisco Lindor will have hamate bone surgery today. Six weeks recovery.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) February 11, 2026
