Jackson Holliday said last week that he just needed the at-bats to get into a rhythm. Since then, the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball has been hot as flames.
After today’s 3-2 Orioles win over the Phillies, Holliday showed he knew what he was talking about, ending his day going 3-for-4 with a double and triple, along with a stolen base, finishing just a long ball short of the cycle. He is now hitting .333 with an OPS of .983 this spring.
Colton Cowser continued his hot spring by collecting an RBI and two hits. He is currently hitting .400 with an OPS of 1.550 in Grapefruit League action.
Jordan Westburg picked up a double, and Heston Kjerstad collected a hit and RBI, as the Orioles would pound out nine total hits, collecting two walks while scoring three times. They did strike out 14 times and picked up three hits with 12 runners in scoring position.
Taking the mound today was new Oriole, Albert Suárez, and he did not disappoint. The 34-year-old would pitch three innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven in his outing. He has now struck out nine batters in five innings of work this spring, throwing 82 total pitches with 53 going for strikes (65% strike rate).
“I started making these adjustments when I signed with the Orioles last year. I came to Sarasota for two weeks, and they sat down with me and talked about small adjustments, and I’ve been working since then. I went to Venezuela to pitch winter ball, and I was working there, too. That’s a big help.”
– Albert Suárez on his preparation for the 2024 season
Kaleb Ort would follow, allowing the Phillies’ first run of the game. He allowed a run on two hits in an inning of work while striking out two.
Andrew Suárez (W, 1-0), Matt Krook (H, 3) and Chayce McDermott (H, 2) all followed with scoreless outings, as the Orioles raved out to a 3-1 lead. Tucker Davidson (S, 1) worked the ninth, picking up his first spring save, though he did allow a run on two hits.
The Orioles improved to 10-2 this spring and will return home to Sarasota tomorrow to play the Pittsburgh Pirates. The game will begin at 6:05 p.m. EST. Newly-signed veteran right-hander Julio Teherán will be taking the mound in his second appearance of the spring.
Side Notes:
• Jackson Holliday’s last three hits have had an exit velocity of 100+ mph, and after feeling out of wack after Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh, he went through a competitive-mixed batting practice on Monday.
• Manager Brandon Hyde said outfielder Cedric Mullins could have imaging done on his hamstring, more so for a baseline example. Mullins is still sore, though both Hyde and Mullins do not foresee the hamstring to be a long-term issue heading into the season.
•Corbin Burnes threw three innings in a simulated game back in Sarasota this afternoon, and Tyler Wells will throw on the backfield tomorrow.
Who stood out to you in today’s win over Philadelphia? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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