“Mayo has gone 1 for 17 with 10 strikeouts in his major league appearances so far.”
Orioles rookie Coby Mayo recorded his first career hit on Wednesday night. However, by Thursday, the Orioles announced that he was being sent back to Triple-A Norfolk. In a corresponding move, infielder Livan Soto was called up to the major league team.
During his initial stint in the majors, Mayo played in seven games, going 1-for-17 with 10 strikeouts and three walks. Over his 139 career games at Triple-A, Mayo has posted impressive numbers, hitting .287/.383/.555 with 37 doubles, 32 home runs, 116 RBIs, and 92 runs.
It’s important to remember that Mayo is only 22 years old and was drafted out of high school. It’s not unusual for a young player to need more time in the minors after a brief exposure to major league pitching. A good example is his teammate, Jackson Holliday. In his first 10 games with the Orioles, Holliday managed just two hits in 34 at-bats, with 18 strikeouts, two walks, and no extra-base hits. He spent more than three months in the minors before returning and has since hit .255/.314/.596 with a double, five home runs, 13 RBIs, and 10 runs in 13 games.
This isn’t to suggest that Mayo will follow the same path as Holliday or to directly compare the two players. The point is simply that even great players sometimes struggle in their first taste of the big leagues. This happened to players like Alex Gordon, Anthony Rizzo, and Mike Trout. Maybe Holliday will be another example, and perhaps Mayo will too. Only time will tell.
Meanwhile, the Orioles remain in a pennant race. Heading into Thursday’s games, they hold a 71-50 record, sitting in second place in the AL East, just half a game behind the Yankees. As of now, they are positioned as the top AL wild-card team, but they are undoubtedly aiming for their second consecutive division title.
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