The Baltimore Orioles made it through Day 1 of spring training without any major setbacks - but the good news didn’t last long. On Wednesday, the club announced that top prospect Jackson Holliday will undergo surgery to repair a broken hand. The injury will sideline him for several weeks beyond Opening Day, a tough blow for a team that was hoping to see the 22-year-old phenom make an early-season impact.
Still, in a spring already filled with injury updates across the league, Holliday’s timeline offers at least a little optimism. It’s not ideal, but it’s manageable. And compared to what the Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with right now, the Orioles might be counting their blessings.
Anthony Santander's injury adds weight to Orioles' offseason decisions
One of the more scrutinized moves of Baltimore’s offseason was the decision not to bring back outfielder Anthony Santander. Instead, the Orioles pivoted to Tyler O’Neill, a move that drew its fair share of skepticism from fans. But with the latest news out of Toronto, that choice is starting to look more like foresight than folly.
The Blue Jays announced Tuesday that Santander suffered a left shoulder injury during his offseason training and will undergo labral surgery. The recovery timeline?
Five to six months. That likely wipes out most - if not all - of his 2026 campaign.
It’s a brutal setback for a player who already struggled to stay on the field last season, appearing in just 54 games. And when he did play, he wasn’t the same power threat Orioles fans remember.
Santander hit just .175 with a .271 on-base percentage, a .294 slugging mark, and a wRC+ of 61 - far below league average. He managed only six home runs, a steep drop from the production that once made him a staple in the middle of Baltimore’s lineup.
The Blue Jays signed Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million deal - a number some Orioles fans felt the team should’ve matched. But with the injury and recent performance in mind, that contract suddenly looks like a major risk.
O’Neill, for all his inconsistency, is on a deal that runs only through 2027. Santander has an opt-out after that same season, but after this latest setback, that clause may not matter much.
Toronto's rotation depth takes another hit
Santander’s injury wasn’t the only bad news for the Blue Jays. Their rotation took a blow as well, with veteran right-hander Shane Bieber now questionable for Opening Day due to shoulder fatigue. That’s a concern for a staff that was already navigating thin margins.
Even more significant: Bowden Francis is out for the season after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery - a major loss of depth for a team that had hoped he could contribute meaningful innings this year.
AL East outlook: Orioles still chasing, but the door’s not closed
Despite the injuries, the Blue Jays remain the consensus favorites in the AL East. Their roster is still deep, and if their stars stay healthy, they’ll be tough to catch. But these early setbacks have at least narrowed the gap - and for the Orioles, that’s an opening worth watching.
Baltimore isn’t without its own issues. Holliday’s injury stings, and the starting rotation still lacks a true ace.
But if the front office can find a way to add a frontline starter - whether through trade or free agency - this team could be more than just a scrappy underdog. They could be a real threat.
It’s February, and the long grind of the season hasn’t even started. But already, the AL East is shaping up to be a battle of attrition. And in that kind of fight, even small breaks - or avoiding the big ones - can make all the difference.