No shortstop in Orioles history has hit as many home runs as Gunnar Henderson has this season. Not even Cal Ripken Jr.
Henderson on Wednesday set the Orioles’ franchise record for homers in a single season by a shortstop, blasting his 35th of the season to pass Ripken and Miguel Tejada.
“It’s definitely something that I’m going to hold very dear to me,” Henderson said. “To pass those guys in something, in any type of Orioles history, is pretty special.”
The 23-year-old superstar crushed a center-cut 2-2 cutter from Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon to lead off the game for Baltimore’s offense. Henderson deposited the offering 402 feet to right-center field for the Orioles’ lone run of the evening in their 8-1 loss to the White Sox.
I think it’s Gunna be a long, long ball. pic.twitter.com/YiACExO2OJ
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 4, 2024
Ripken and Tejada previously shared the record at 34. Ripken hit that many in 1991 en route to winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award. Tejada then tied Ripken’s record in 2004 during his first season in Baltimore.
“He’s having a heck of a season so far,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Just doing a little bit of everything. That’s some serious company when you’re on those lists and passing those type of players.”
Henderson said he didn’t know of the record until he was a few homers away, but as he approached tying and setting it, he “just tried to go out there and keep playing like I normally do and things like this will come with it.”
Henderson began the season scorching-hot at the plate with 10 homers in March/April to establish himself as an early MVP candidate. He continued his power surge through the first half, ending it among the majors’ leaders with 28 to earn a spot in the Home Run Derby.
But he cooled down after the All-Star break, hitting only one big fly in the first 23 games of the second half. During that stretch, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. established themselves as the top two candidates for the AL MVP award ahead of Henderson.
The power returned in mid-August when the 2019 second-round pick smacked a long ball in four of five games, and after a 13-game homer hiatus, Henderson tied Ripken and Tejada in Monday’s win with another leadoff blast. His 10 this season rank second in the majors behind Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber.
“I mean, I would say I’m pretty comfortable with it,” Henderson said with a smile when asked about being put back in the leadoff spot. “Pretty much done it the whole year. So yeah, he’s just trying to get me going again, and I’m just trying to help the team win.”
Overall, Henderson’s sophomore campaign has built off his AL Rookie of the Year 2023 season. He entered Wednesday slashing .277/.364/.531 — good for an .895 OPS. He won’t win the AL MVP award like Ripken did in 1983 after his Rookie of the Year campaign, but Henderson has leveled up this year as one of baseball’s best players. His 8.0 wins above replacement by Baseball-Reference’s estimation ranks fourth in the majors, behind Judge (9.4), Witt (8.9) and Boston Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran (8.7).
“I feel like I’ve been making strides in the right direction, been working,” he said. “Obviously, it’s a long season, so the body kind of wears down. But I feel like I’ve been making strides in the right direction, kind of feeling out my body and I feel like I’m making the right moves right now.”
Henderson’s 35 homers rank sixth in the majors and second on the Orioles behind Anthony Santander’s 39. Only two players in Orioles history have hit more homers at 23 years old or younger: Boog Powell (1964) and Manny Machado (2016).
With 21 games remaining, Henderson is on pace to hit 40 homers this season. Not including Santander, who is one away, seven players in Orioles history have achieved that feat: Jim Gentile (1961), Frank Robinson (1966), Brady Anderson (1996), Rafael Palmeiro (1998), Chris Davis (2013, 2015), Nelson Cruz (2014) and Mark Trumbo (2016).
And with many years remaining in his career, Henderson will have plenty of chances to approach more of Ripken’s records — although no one is breaking his biggest one.
— Cal Ripken, Jr. (@CalRipkenJr) September 5, 2024
