The 21-year-old phenom will get a breather with tough left-hander MacKenzie Gore toeing the slab for the Nationals. Jorge Mateo will start in his place at second base and will bat ninth for the O’s on Thursday. Holliday is off to a slot start overall at the plate this season, slashing just .234/.300/.375 with a pair of homers, eight RBI, one stolen base and a 17/6 K/BB ratio in his first 70 plate appearances.

This one had to feel good for Holliday who was mired in an 0-for-17 slump entering play today. He smacked a back-door sweeper from Gavin Williams that sat right in the middle of the zone and sent it into the Orioles’ bullpen. He’s remained a starter – albeit in a strict lefty, righty platoon – since Gunnar Henderson returned from the injured list and towering, opposite field blasts like this one are a good reminder as to how high his ceiling is at the plate.

Things may be coming together at the dish for Holiday. Saturday marked the third consecutive game without a strikeout for the talented 21-year-old. After knocking a triple in the fifth inning, he singled in the sixth to drive in two runs. Holliday collected one more hit in the eighth, falling a homer short of the cycle. He’s 10-for-30 (.333) with one home run and a steal through eight starts.

Holliday will take a seat for the first time in 2025 against left-hander Garrett Crochet. That means Jordan Westburg will handle duties at second base with Ramon Urias getting a start at the hot corner.