Jackson Holliday on his Orioles’ home debut: ‘To be here is definitely exciting’

BALTIMORE—After two long days and nights in Boston, Jackson Holliday is getting ready for his first home game as an Oriole on Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. Holliday was hitless in eight at-bats in his first two major league games, both Oriole comeback wins.

After batting ninth in his first two games, Holliday, who’s again playing second base, is batting eighth.

“It’s been fun. I haven’t gotten a hit yet, which I’m looking forward to,” Holliday said. “Swept Boston, so that’s definitely a positive.”

Holliday came to Oriole Park when his father, Matt, was with the St. Louis Cardinals. He remembers being impressed by the ballpark then, and now.

“I remember thinking, ‘This is a really great place to hit,’ he said. “I remember almost being able to rob a home run because the [left field] wall was shorter before they moved it back and raised it about a hundred feet,” he joked. “It’s a pretty awesome place to play and definitely looking forward to tonight. Running out there and getting to play in front of a home crowd is always fun. I got to play through the minor leagues and felt the environment, but to be here is definitely exciting.”

Holliday was interviewed extensively on Wednesday for his debut, and again on Friday. He handles it with aplomb, especially for a 20-year-old.

“You’re obviously doing something right if you’ve got all this attention,” Holliday said. “To be able to come to the ballpark and have a locker here is definitely different.”

Colton Cowser, who homered twice on Thursday night and is batting second on Friday, had advice for Holliday.

“He’s a special guy, a special player, and he’s very mature,” Cowser said. “He’s going about it the right way right now. You can see it in his work. The results haven’t been there, but it’s been, what, eight [at-bats]? I’m looking forward to whenever he gets things going. I think it’s just a comfortability thing right now.

“I told him to enjoy it. Feel free to breathe. Sometimes you get stuck in the box and you’re not breathing at all. So I think he’s been doing a good job.”

Holliday said when he was with Aberdeen and Bowie, he’d occasionally come to Baltimore to eat.

“It’s definitely a different experience knowing this is home—for now,” he said.

Holliday’s debut is being celebrated by a T-Shirt, which will be distributed to the first 15,000 fans 15-and-over.

“It’s pretty sweet,” he said. “I actually like that picture. It’s good. It’s really cool. I know a bunch of people back home will want one, so excited to be able to give that to them.”

Not many players have had the kind of buildup that Holliday has had.

“It’s been everything that I could imagine,” he said.