The Baltimore Orioles earned a win against the Toronto Blue Jays, but it was no ordinary victory.
Top prospect Jackson Holliday, who struggled badly in his first stint as an MLB player earlier this season, was back from a three-month demotion to Triple-A Norfolk.
There, the young infielder was hitting a solid .277/.410/.539 in 19 games in July, so he had been in much better form.
Holliday undoubtedly wanted to make an immediate impact, and boy, it was very impressive.
With the bases loaded and facing an 0-2 count, Holliday deposited a baseball in the stands for his first career home run.
JACKSON HOLLIDAY!
His first big league homer is a grand slam! pic.twitter.com/UhYSrT2MiQ
The dramatic grand slam alone likely was worth the three-month wait to see Holliday again.
He was so bad in his first stint that you wouldn’t think he entered the year as the consensus top prospect in the game.
He was sporting a horrible .059/.111/.059 line and a .170 OPS in 36 plate appearances, so you understand why he was demoted.
But even the best prospects and young players need patience, and Holliday is no exception.
If the O’s are willing to let him struggle and adjust, they have an All-Star in the making and someone who can move the needle with contact, on-base ability and power.
He is a special player, one who will be a regular in Baltimore’s lineup sooner rather than later.