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The 2024 Detroit Tigers give hope to all seemingly moribund ballclubs, but the Baltimore Orioles (40-50) are heading closer towards a colossally disappointing season. They remain well below .500 and are seven and a half games out of a Wild Card slot, which is a daunting deficit to overcome even in the weaker American League. While it is agonizingly painful for fans to admit, this campaign might have to be about individual development rather than striving for October success.
There is one young player in particular who is worth monitoring this year. Jackson Holliday has yet to meet the lofty expectations that come with being a former No. 1 overall pick, but he is starting to find his MLB bearing in his age-21 season. He stayed on an upward trajectory in Tuesday night's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the New York Mets (53-39).
Holliday recorded an RBI single to put the O's on the scoreboard in the third inning and later helped them build a 6-2 lead in the seventh after smashing a 406-foot solo home run. He was on his way to being crowned the player of the game, but Baltimore collapsed.
A comfortable advantage evaporated in Camden Yards, as Bryan Baker surrendered four runs on four hits. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso each hit two-run shots in the eighth inning to tie the game. Juan Soto, the other member of the Mets' star trio, notched the go-ahead single in the 10th, and the Orioles did not have a response. The team squanders an opportunity to secure a fourth consecutive victory and inspire a bit more confidence from the front office ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Jackson Holliday CRUSHES a homer to extend the Orioles lead 😤pic.twitter.com/4yXwZ8x6uD
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 9, 2025
Jackson Holliday is getting better, but the Orioles are still far off their goal
Following such a stinging defeat, this fan base has no interest in looking at the bright side. However, it is undoubtedly encouraging to see Jackson Holliday record a homer and multiple hits in back-to-back games. He is now batting .263 with 12 long balls, a .313 on-base percentage, .425 slugging percentage and .738 OPS. The wealth of talent that he possesses is gradually revealing itself, a positive sign going forward.
Unfortunately, though, Holliday's progress is not equating to team success. The Orioles are collectively underachieving in the batter's box and on the mound, which has unsurprisingly resulted in underachieving in the standings. They have shown life lately, but this latest implosion will halt their momentum. Holliday will look to ignite the club again when it faces the Mets on Wednesday.
