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Jackson Holliday was in the Orioles’ original lineup tonight but a sore knee moved him to the bench.
“A little banged up,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “In one of the knees, something he’s been dealing with all year. I think it flared up on him a little bit today. Wisely, just kind of took a step back with it today. I definitely think that, I’d say nine out of 10 players have something going on right now. This for him today was something we didn’t feel like was appropriate to deal with.
“I’ve said this before, I think if we’re chasing down the pennant he’s probably in there today, but we’re just trying to be smart with the kid.”
Holliday has appeared in 146 games, four behind leader Gunnar Henderson. He has the most at-bats with 575, has avoided the injured list and ranks second in the majority of offensive categories except for the 17 home runs that lead the club.
“Listen, what we’ve asked of this kid this year has been a lot, and I do feel like he’s answered in a lot of ways,” Mansolino said. “This is a long season. The stress on this season in particular, how it’s been here in Baltimore this year and just kind of not meeting expectations as a team, and the pressure and stress and everything and having to play every day and be a focal point, lead off and be in the middle of the field every single day, it’s a big ask for a 21-year-old kid.
“Those kids that we drafted and came to BP with us, I’m pretty sure they’re older than Jackson. So to put this load on him at this age, I feel like he’s done an incredible job.”
Players are meeting with Mansolino and the staff as the season winds down. The Orioles want Holliday to take the next step offensively. They know that it exists for him.
“He’s in really good hands between his dad (Matt) and then, obviously, our hitting group,” Mansolino said.
“I just think from the defensive side, the backhand’s a big thing for him. He’s well aware of that and he’s working on it. You’ve seen some pretty good backhands in games here lately. This last month, his ability to start and turn double plays has really taken off for me. Just really taken off. I feel like he is slowly but surely becoming one of the best double play guys right now at that position, top 10 guys at that position for me in the league right now. So thrilled where he’s at. Getting stronger, getting more physical in the right way. Keeping the same mobility, flexibility that he has is going to be a priority for the kid.
“He’s gonna be 22 next year. He’s gonna keep getting better in a lot of ways.”
Reaching the ceiling placed over Holliday since he was drafted first overall certainly is possible, but it’s also a big ask. Mansolino calls it “unrealistic.” And then, he envisions it happening.
“Is he gonna get there? He might,” Mansolino said. “I don’t think you can put that ceiling on anybody. I don’t think that’s fair. But if there is a kid that has the makeup and the mental fortitude to kind of handle it, it’s Jackson.
“I’ve always loved the kid’s ability. All you’ve got to do is go out there and watch the kid on the field, in the game and before the game, and he shows it. He’s gonna get there. It might not be as fast as the public wants him to, but he’s gonna get there soon.”
Pitcher Chayce McDermott moved from the bereavement/family medical emergency list yesterday to the 15-day injured list with back discomfort. Add him to the list of Orioles who won’t appear in another game.
“I think after the fact we were notified of it,” Mansolino said of McDermott’s back injury. “It’s nothing that we were aware of ahead of time. I think as he went on the family medical leave, messaging from there was that there was an issue with it, so that was kind of the first time we heard of it.
“Once he got back, he threw a little bit. They put him out, had him throw, threw in the ‘pen, was still there, so they made the move.”
The Orioles are two games behind the Rays for fourth place with two more against them this week. Is it important to escape the basement?
Champagne isn’t on ice.
“You’re either in the playoffs or you’re not,” Mansolino said.
“I think for the team, that’s really all that matters. I don’t think we’re here trying to win consolation prizes by any means. I look at it and I see it and emotions for it and they’re not real strong.
“If it entails us winning every game here down the stretch and we get in there and we beat them, yeah, I’d take it in a heartbeat. But do I think it’s gonna make or break our season at this point? No. I think we failed to meet expectations. We know that. I feel like we’re back at the drawing board right now. We’re trying to figure out how to right the ship. Does finishing second-to-last right the ship? Probably not. There’s probably a lot more work that needs to be done than that.”
Mansolino still doesn’t know if he’ll be in the manager’s seat, with the interim tag torn away. He’s been made aware of the organization’s timeline for revealing its decision, but he isn’t sharing that information.
The balancing act for Mansolino is trying to set up the organization for future success, helping to implement a clear plan but doing so under cloudy conditions.
“People that are very close to me have given me the advice, don’t give the information until you know you have the job, and I’m not gonna operate that way. I’m gonna try to do this the right way," he said.
"I’m very thankful to this organization for pulling me out of Cleveland and giving me a big league job (in 2021). I’m very thankful now at this point to have been put in this position and to be seen as a guy who can do this. So I’m gonna do the right thing, I’m gonna tell them what I think. I hope they appreciate that. It might not always be what they want to hear, but I really do think if you’re a major league person, player, coach, staff member, front office member, if you’re a true big leaguer in what you do, the truth is kind of what sets you forward. It really is.
“It is my responsibility to tell the truth and I will. There’s a right way to do it. You don’t need to beat people over the head with it. Maybe a little empathy goes a long way with it. But I think you do it and I will do that to the best of my ability, regardless of whether I’m going to be in this uniform or at home or a different uniform.”
Mansolino said again that it’s important for him to leave the seat better for the next guy.
“And I know I’ve done that, and I’ll continue to do that regardless of what my situation is or what the coaches situation is,” he said. “I also think that when you leave a place, your reputation is what matters, so I’m gonna do it the right way to the best of my ability, and how that plays out in terms of my career, I have no idea. I don’t really care. I feel like I owe it to the place to do it right.”
Beyond experiencing the pain of a losing season after back-to-back playoff experiences, Mansolino wants his team to grow through the adversity. Players aren’t entitled. That isn’t how they’re reacting.
“I hope these guys are pissed off and I hope they’re hungry, and I know that they are,” he said. “I hope this has been very eye-opening for them and what it takes to win at this level and how slim the margins are, and their preparation that needs to go into it. Not that the preparation has been bad, but I think kind of taking stock in where we’re at and how we got here, we can certainly improve whatever we’ve done to this point.”
