Jackson Holliday paused the questions about his recovery from hamate bone surgery to gather details and offer sympathy toward younger brother Ethan, who’s preparing for his own medical procedure.

The year 2026 will be unforgettable mostly for the wrong reasons, though Jackson is trying to spin his own story.

Ethan, the Rockies’ No. 1 prospect after they selected him fourth overall in the 2025 draft, suffered a stress fracture in his left foot with Class A Fresno and will undergo repairs next week. He’s done for the rest of the season.

“It’s gonna be a while,” Jackson said.

The Orioles waited on Jackson, who had the hook of the hamate in his right hand removed on Feb. 12 after breaking it while swinging a bat before the official spring training report date in Sarasota. The stitches came out Feb. 23, allowing him to sweat again without repercussions, but recurring pain twice interrupted his rehab assignments in the minors.

Holliday finally made his Orioles debut May 19 against the Rays at Tropicana Field and has three multi-hit games the last six times that he’s started. He singled and hit his second home run Friday night.

“It looks like he’s settled in well,” said manager Craig Albernaz. “He’s getting some good swings off. He’s really showing his adjustability at the plate, especially with the off-speed pitches down. I love that he’s aggressive, especially in hitters’ counts, and he’s doing a good job of getting the pitches in the strike zone.”

Holliday was 2-for-15 with a home run before going 2-for-3 on Tuesday. The average climbed to .259 with a .323 on-base percentage and .481 slugging after Friday night’s game, and .267 with an .810 OPS Saturday after his walk and run-scoring single.

“I feel good,” he said. “I mean, I don’t know if the long rehab stint kind of made that a little bit of like a slower transition. I feel pretty good. I know my exit velos aren’t to where they were last year, but I feel like I’m getting my A swing off without any pain, which I’m happy with. And honestly, I’d feel it in the minor leagues when I was rehabbing, and ever since I’ve gotten up here, I don’t know if it’s the adrenaline of playing in big league games, but I think I’ve only felt like one swing, so it’s been great.

“It’s felt really, really good. I feel strong, swing feels good, and I’ve had no problems, honestly.”

Two of Holliday’s four hardest-hit balls were produced Friday with a 103.2 mph exit velocity on the home run and 101.5 mph on the single. His early 2026 numbers actually exceed last season. Holliday was averaging 90.5 mph on his exit velo before yesterday, compared to 88.8 in 2025, and 42.9 percent on his hard-hit rate, compared to 40.8 mph in 2025.

Holliday’s run-scoring single yesterday in the heart of a dramatic ninth-inning rally was only 73.6 mph but found outfield grass.

Power can be slow to return to a player who has a hamate bone removed, even if he’s pain-free and making good contact. Full pop might take several months to resurface.

Holliday’s first homer this season traveled 337 feet, with the ball sneaking underneath the left field foul pole. Friday night’s shot to right field was measured at 406 feet.

“I think just hitting the barrel as much as I can, good things will happen,” Holliday said. “I’m not gonna go out there and try to hit homers. I’ve really liked where I’ve been at with line drives through the middle of the field. And if every now and then I hit one pull-side in the air, great, but I’m just gonna keep trying to hit the ball on the barrel and that’s all I can do.”

Holliday experimented in spring training with an axe-handle bat that offered more protection, but he’s gone back to the regular knob.

“I just have a pad underneath my batting gloves and trying to get in the training room as much as possible to kind of just avoid that pain, that sharp feeling, but whatever they tell me, it’s gonna happen,” Holliday said.

“It’s been pretty good. I’ve been really happy with that.”

*The Orioles were 4-9 in one-run games before yesterday, including Friday night’s 6-5 loss.

What gives?

“There’s no common theme,” Albernaz said. “It’s just, the margin of victories is just extremely tight. Our defense has been really good as of late. We shored up that end. We had to make sure that our pitchers are throwing strikes, our hitters are doing the job with runners in scoring position.

“I think when you look back at it, there’s always like one area each game that kind of stands out that, wish we would have capitalized there, wish we would have not allowed the extra 90 feet, or whatever the case may be. It’s always with us, making sure we’re playing a total complete team game to give ourselves a chance in those one-run games.”

The record improved to 5-9 with yesterday’s five-run ninth that produced a 6-5 win.

There really isn’t a common theme.

*Taylor Ward walked three more times yesterday to give him 53. Pete Alonso is second on the team with 27.

Ward has multiple walks in 14 games this season, which was second most yesterday behind Mike Trout’s 16.