Orioles Top Prospect’s Call-Up Creates Unique Race To History

Jackson Holliday is a Major League legacy, thanks to his father, Matt, and there are some current pitchers that have bad memories of dad.

Baltimore Orioles called up their top prospect, Jackson Holliday, on Tuesday. So far, he’s 0-for-8 with an RBI and two runs. The offense will come. It has to. He was so productive at the minor-league level that, eventually, he’ll get his first Major League home run.

But his promotion creates a unique opportunity that some older pitchers would like to avoid.

The younger Holliday’s father is Matt Holliday, a former Major League star who played for 15 years, won a World Series title with St. Louis and went to seven All-Star games. He also hit 316 career home runs.

Some of the players that gave up those home runs are still in the Majors. See where we’re going with this?

MLB.com recently compiled a list of the pitchers that are still in the Majors that gave up at least one home run to Matt Holliday. It’s a fairly extensive list — Chris Sale, Marcus Stroman, Kyle Hendricks, Charlie Morton, Wade Miley, Adam Ottavino, Martín Pérez, Colin Rea, Carlos Rodón, Edwin Díaz, Ryne Stanek, Clayton Kershaw and Craig Kimbrel.

So, who gives up a home run to the younger Holliday first and then has to live with the fact that he gave up a home run to both father and son?

Well it likely won’t be Kimbrel. He is currently the Orioles’ closer and unless something weird happens between now and the end of the season, he seems a safe bet to avoid that slice of history. Kershaw is hurt and likely won’t be back until mid-season. But the Orioles don’t face the Dodgers until August, so it’s possible they’ll face off.

One pitcher to watch this weekend is Rea, who starts for the Brewers and who is expected to start on Sunday in the series finale at Camden Yards.

Anyone in the AL East is worth watching, too. That brings two Yankees starters into the loop — Marcus Stroman and Carlos Rodón. The Yankees and Orioles won’t play until the end of April.

Holliday may not be hitting right now, but the hits are coming. There will be home runs and none of these pitchers wants to be the guy that gets doubled up by the Holliday family.