With uncertainty surrounding Jordan Westburg and uneven play from Coby Mayo, the Orioles are trying Jackson Holliday at third base during Sunday’s Double-A Chesapeake game.

Holliday is on a rehab assignment as he continues to work back from lingering discomfort after a February surgery to remove the broken hamate bone from his right hand. In the majors, Holliday has mostly played second base. He was drafted as a shortstop.

But Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the plan is to mix Holliday in so he’s versatile to play second, third and short as needed.

“He’s mixing in at third,” Albernaz said. “We talked to him, see where his head was at, and he was for it. I think, if you look at our roster, versatility is something that we need.”

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On the radio broadcast, play-by-play announcer Ben Wagner said Holliday took repetitions at third base Saturday at Camden Yards before the game. Holliday had a scheduled day off from his rehab assignment and worked out in Baltimore instead of Bowie.

Holliday has played only two games at third base in his professional career, both in 2023.

“We have Blaze [Alexander] that can play everywhere in the infield and go out in the outfield. With a lefty bat and with Jackson’s background, his athleticism, just thinking through to see what it looks like and see how he feels about it,” Albernaz said. “He has the ability to play second, short and third, so we’ll see what it looks like when he gets down there.”

With Westburg shut down from baseball activities due to elbow discomfort, the Orioles might see Holliday as a potential stopgap solution. Westburg is attempting to come back from a partially torn UCL in his elbow. He received a platelet-rich-plasma injection during spring training. But, as his throwing progression grew more intense this month, lingering discomfort prompted a pause in his rehab work.

Albernaz said Westburg has a follow-up appointment Monday.

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Mayo has frequently held down third base for Baltimore, but he’s hitting .158 with a .495 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Defensive issues have occurred more often than desired, too.

Albernaz didn’t commit to Holliday playing third base primarily once he returns to the team, because Mayo, Jeremiah Jackson and Alexander are options, too.

“This is more just kind of versatility, see what it looks like,” Albernaz said. “He’s played the left side of the diamond his whole life. He was out there today, took some ground balls. It looks really good.”

This article has been updated.