Jackson Holliday goes 0-4 with an RBI in his MLB debut as the Orioles rally to beat the Red Sox 7-5

BOSTON — The tides started turning when Jackson Holliday was still in high school.

It was May 21, 2022, and Adley Rutschman, then the top prospect in baseball, came running out of the home dugout for the first time, taking a spin as he tried to soak in the crowd at Camden Yards.

A couple of months later, Holliday was picked first overall in the MLB draft. He headed off to begin his professional career as Gunnar Henderson, another No. 1 prospect, joined Rutschman in the big leagues. Together, Henderson and Rutschman led the Orioles to 101 wins and an American League East title last season.

The Orioles fell short of their ultimate goal, though, when they lost to the Rangers in the American League Division Series.

The missing piece of the puzzle — yet another No. 1 prospect — may have arrived in Boston on Wednesday.

Holliday didn’t contribute immediately, but the Orioles won his first game 7-5. His teammates stole the show on his debut day, scoring seven unanswered runs as he went 0-for-4.

He’ll have plenty of time to shine. After all, the season, and his career, is just getting started.

“It’s all I could have imagined,” Holliday said. “Playing in the big leagues, with a stadium full of fans and two really good teams. I couldn’t have asked for more except maybe like four hits and that’s a lot to ask for. It was an awesome experience.”

On Wednesday, fresh off a 6 a.m. flight from Richmond, Virginia, Holliday arrived in Boston and went about his daily business as if he’d been doing it his entire life. He has in a way, trailing after his father, who played 15 years in the major leagues.

But there was no denying this was different.

Holliday handled his pregame duties with ease. A large media scrum? No problem. No partner to play catch with? He quickly found a solution. He was cool and collected, excited, not nervous, he said, to take the field that night.

In the clubhouse pregame, Holliday seemed status quo as he got ready at his locker among Rutschman, Henderson, Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg. Cowser gave Holliday a few tips, reminding him to breathe and to take it in.

The rest let him be, sensing Holliday wasn’t fazed by the big stage.

“There’s not a more excited stretch of guys in the clubhouse right now,” Westburg said. “To have each other on the same club again, we’re all smiles today. Just trying to keep him level, but he handled it really well.”

He wore a No. 7 jersey, the first bestowed with that honor since Cal Ripken Sr., and waited in the dugout as the game began, watching as Henderson and Rutschman hit first and second in the Orioles’ lineup. Then, in the bottom of the first, it was finally Holliday’s time to take the field for the first time in a major league game.

He bounced around during warm-ups, looking at Henderson for confirmation as they got into position. Henderson, who at 22 is the elder statesman compared to Holliday, nodded back at the rookie.

As Cole Irvin prepared to throw his first pitch, Holliday sprinted to the edge of the diamond behind second and leaned down to draw a cross in the dirt.

This was his time.

Holliday didn’t see his first action until the second, when he flipped the ball to Henderson, who in turn sent it to Ryan Mountcastle at first base to complete the inning-ending double play.

Holliday, though, also had his flaws. He struck out in his first at-bat in the top of the third, then waved off Cedric Mullins in the bottom of the third as he tried to catch a pop-up with his back to the infield. Second is still a new position for him — part of the reason he started the season in the minors was so he could get more experience there — and that play probably should have belonged to Mullins, who, as the outfielder, has final authority on the call. The ball dropped, and a Red Sox run scored.

“I was going out there, with the wind pushing in, I knew it had a chance to come back. Obviously I would have liked to make the play but it was a tough one, but it’s good experience. It’s going to happen again and just to be able to learn from that and not let it happen again.”

Holliday got on base for the first time in the fifth via a force out, then got his first RBI in the sixth as he sent Westburg home on a groundout.

Holliday walked away at the end of the night without his first hit, striking out in his last at-bat. The rest of the Orioles offense pulled through, the red-hot Cowser getting the streak started in the fourth with a single to score two runs. Westburg gave them the lead in the seventh, hitting a three-run home run.

Irvin pitched five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. Craig Kimbrel got the save in his return to Boston.

On Wednesday night, after a hectic 24 hours, Holliday could finally take a deep breath. His first major league game was done; now it was time to get some rest and do it all again Thursday.

“I couldn’t be happier to be here,” he said. “It didn’t matter how much sleep I got. I was going to go out there and compete to the best of my ability.”

Danielle Allentuck

danielle.allentuck@thebaltimorebanner.com

Danielle Allentuck covers the Orioles for The Baltimore Banner. She previously reported on the Rockies for the Denver Gazette and general sports assignments for The New York Times as part of its fellowship program. A Maryland native, Danielle grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Ithaca College.

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