The Orioles will be without Gunnar Henderson to start the season, but there’s good news on the horizon.
Star shortstop Henderson is headed to the injured list with an intercostal strain in his right side. The 23-year-old hasn’t played since suffering the injury on February 27.
But fans can breathe a small sigh of relief.
General manager Mike Elias told reporters Sunday that Henderson’s absence should be “days, not weeks” – suggesting he might return after just the minimum IL stint.
Henderson has quickly become one of baseball’s brightest young stars. Last season, he hit a remarkable .281 with 37 home runs and 21 stolen bases while playing solid defense at shortstop.
Those numbers earned him his first All-Star selection and a fourth-place finish in AL MVP voting.
That’s pretty impressive for such a young player.
In his brief career, Henderson has averaged an eye-popping 7.6 WAR per 162 games – basically meaning he’s been worth about 7-8 extra wins to the Orioles compared to a replacement player.
While he’s out, the O’s might move Jackson Holliday back to his natural shortstop position and use Ramón Urías at second base.
The Orioles really need Henderson healthy. They’re coming off back-to-back playoff appearances but actually took a step backward last year – dropping from 101 wins and a division title in 2023 to 91 wins and a wild-card spot in 2024.
With GM Elias failing to properly replace ace pitcher Corbin Burnes in the rotation, there’s even more pressure on young hitters like Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Holliday, and Jordan Westburg to carry the team.
How quickly Henderson can get back to full strength might be a key factor in whether Baltimore can keep pace in the tough AL East this season.
