![\"Baltimore](\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3276,h_1842\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/229\/01jq1tnxx1243xzxbjpg.jpg\")
<\/p>\nJackson Holliday will be put to the test.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias revealed that shortstop Gunnar Henderson will start the season on the injured list with a strained intercostal muscle.<\/p>\n
Henderson has been out since late February, and despite making some improvements over that time, the Orioles are playing it safe. That means Jackson Holliday will receive added playing time at shortstop.<\/p>\n
“It’s definitely something we don’t want to linger into the season and throughout the season,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said recently.<\/p>\n
“You want to make sure that’s free and clear. He’s so important to us. We want to make sure he’s right and he’s not playing through any sort of injury or soreness the first part of the season.”<\/em><\/p>\n Henderson was bound to miss some time over the course of a 162-game season, so best for it to happen earlier rather than later.<\/p>\n As for Holliday, shortstop is a position he could struggle with at the big-league level. His range will be tested, as well as the 21-year-old’s arm strength, which is why the Orioles moved him to second base to begin with.<\/p>\n When Henderson is healthy, expect Holliday to spend most of his time as the former’s double play partner at second.<\/p>\n Jackson Holliday and the Orioles are under a microscope<\/strong><\/p>\n The O’s have confidence in Holliday, who has worked to improve his plate presence this spring after struggling in that department last season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels great, honestly. I feel like I\u2019m swinging in hitter\u2019s counts for off-speed pitches, and usually, that\u2019s a good sign to be able to pull the trigger on sliders and changeups, and curveballs,\u201d Holliday said. \u201cI mean, I don\u2019t even think I really swung at a heater today, but I was able to put together a pretty good day. I feel great. I\u2019m happy with some of the adjustments I\u2019ve made.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Holliday has swung the bat well this spring, and the Orioles hope it’s a sign of things to come for the former top overall prospect in baseball. Holliday is the son of former MLB All-Star Matt Holliday, and the brother of future top-5 MLB Draft pick Ethan Holliday.<\/p>\n This family is loaded with talent, but the O’s are asking a lot of Jackson, who made his MLB debut at age 20 and is still adjusting to pitching at the big-league level.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as going into a season, how I feel, this is definitely the best one that I\u2019ve had,\u201d Holliday said of his spring training.<\/p>\n The O’s are asking a lot of Holliday once again this spring, as he was learning a new position at second. Now, pivoting back to shortstop for a few games while Henderson is out AND focusing on his adjustments at the plate will only add to the challenge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jackson Holliday will be put to the test. Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias revealed that shortstop Gunnar Henderson will start the season on the injured list… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":43714,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n