Jackson Holliday to undergo wrist surgery; Samuel Basallo out with concussion

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For the second time this year, Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday will undergo wrist surgery.

The first, which occurred in February, corrected a broken hamate bone in his right hand and wrist area. It forced Holliday to miss spring training and the start of this season.

Now, Holliday will undergo left wrist surgery early next week, manager Craig Albernaz said, to address a tear of his triangular fibrocartilage complex, a structure that connects the forearm to the wrist. The Cleveland Clinic said the injury it can lead to difficulty rotating the wrist.

“The timeline is going to be TBD, depending on when they open him up, how the surgery goes,” Albernaz said. “It’s a smaller ligament, so once they get in there, they can make a better assessment. A healthy offseason is always a huge aspect for any player, never mind a young player.”

Albernaz said he thinks Holliday will be ready for spring training, although the expected lockout this winter could make that a moving target.

Catcher Samuel Basallo’s season is also over, as the Orioles placed him on the seven-day concussion injured list. Outfielder Heston Kjerstad was recalled to fill Basallo’s roster spot.

Basallo took a foul ball off the mask Monday, and while he remained in the game for another inning, Albernaz removed him because he saw him flinch ever so slightly when catching a few pitches. Concussion symptoms later developed.

“Concussions are so finicky,” Albernaz said. “Sometimes it’s immediate, and sometimes it kind of shows up as the night goes. Luckily, we got Sammy out as we did, and the symptoms crept up at night.”

Albernaz said it’s not considered a severe concussion, “but during the test, there were a few boxes he didn’t check.”

Basallo and Holliday are two of Baltimore’s youngest centerpiece players. The Orioles locked up Basallo with a contract extension, and Holliday, a former first overall pick, is under team control through 2031.

Neither had superb seasons, but they are both just 22 years old. Albernaz said they showed growth throughout the year in several areas. For Holliday, that came defensively at second base. For Basallo, his game-calling stood out.

There remains room to grow, of course. Holliday hit .229 with a .640 on-base-plus-slugging percentage this year, while Basallo hit .222 with a .697 OPS. For the Orioles to improve their 2027 prospects, Basallo and Holliday will need to make additional strides.