BALTIMORE—One of the attributes the Orioles value most is players’ ability to play more than one position. Samuel Basallo plays first base and catcher, which means there’s not only room for Adley Rutschman, but it could keep the door open for 29-year-old Alex Jackson next season.
In constructing next season’s team, one player who has demonstrated his versatility is another Jackson, Jeremiah.
He never played in the major leagues before the trade deadline, and when the Orioles traded Ramón Urías to the Houston Astros it opened a spot for the 25-year-old Jackson, who hit .377 in 40 games at Triple-A Norfolk.
Those were the first games he played at Triple-A. Jackson wasn’t as impressive at Double-A Chesapeake, where he hit .254 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 45 games.
But Jackson has seized the opportunity. Urías had the ability to play all four infield positions, but Jackson has played 31 games in right field and 10 at third base.
“I think it’s been a grind, really, being in the outfield. A lot of hard work,” Jackson said. “The more I was out there, the more I was able to play out there, it becomes easier. I’ve played a lot of third. To play at this level, it’s all about reps really. The more reps you get, the more comfortable you get. It becomes a lot easier.”
Urías had the ability to play shortstop, which he rarely had to because when Gunnar Henderson wasn’t playing there, Jackson Holliday could. Holliday began the season at shortstop when Henderson was on the injured list. Because of Holliday’s ability to play shortstop, it’s not a necessity for the Orioles’ utility player to be a shortstop.
“Holliday is probably the guy,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “I think now he’s way more prepared to flip over and play a day or two of shortstop than he’s every been just because the game’s slowed down in a lot of ways.. When we put him over there now, he seems to have a little more comfort in a weird way. Jackson can do it. I don’t think it’s prerequisite here for the utility guy to play shortstop. It would be nice, but with Jackson’s ability to handle it, it makes a little easier for Jeremiah not to have to.”
Jackson believes he can play more places than just third base and right field.
“I still consider myself a shortstop,” he said. “I’ve played there my whole life. I feel most comfortable there. When you’ve got a guy like Gunnar, he’s not coming off of short, which is completely fine with me. He’s earned it. It’s about wherever I can get in, whether it be second, third, short, left, right, center. It really doesn’t matter to me. It’s about being available and being versatile.
“Prior to this year, I played more left and center than I did right. This year, in the big leagues, I’ve only been in right. In Triple-A, I was in left. I feel like I can play center and left.”
Jackson made an instant impression on the Orioles. In August, he hit .323 with an .828 OPS. September hasn’t been as kind. He’s hitting .233.
In the Orioles’ 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, Jackson was 2-for-4 and added his third outfield assist.
“There’s a feeling-out process early on. As I’ve had success, they started pitching me different, a little bit better,” Jackson said.
“It’s a game of adjustments. The last few games, I’ve been trying to identify what they’re trying to do. I’ve had a little more success. I’ve walked a little more. I haven’t walked much in the past. “
Jackson walked just three times in 96 plate appearances last month, but has walked eight times in September.
“It’s about being patient, waiting for a good pitch to hit, continuing to get those reps in, winning every pitch and every at-bat.”
Mansolino playing to win this weekend: While the Orioles don’t have anything tangible to play for this weekend, the New York Yankees do. They’re in a battle for first place in the American League East and the best record in the league.
Mansolino said he’s going all-out to win and won’t rest players.
“We’re going to try to win,” Mansolino said. “There might be a scenario where we jam somebody in there, but we’ll try to win those games, without a doubt.
“We’ll do what we can. Out of respect to the rest of the industry and other teams, I don’t think we’ll mess around with that. I think that we do the best that we can and let the chips fall where they may.”
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