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Baltimore Orioles' Gunnar Henderson Blasts Another Home Run, Keeps Making History

Reigning AL Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson, still just 22 years old, made MLB history out of the leadoff spot with a home run for the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.

Sam Connon

Jun 8, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field.
Jun 8, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
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Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson went yard against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, carving out several spots in the MLB history books.

Henderson's three-run home run in the top of the ninth was his 20th of the season, which remain the second most in all of baseball. On top of that, the insurance Henderson provided helped seal a 5-0 win for the O's.

The 22-year-old went 1-for-4 out of the leadoff spot for the game. Henderson is now batting .263 with 45 RBI, eight stolen bases, a .947 OPS and a 4.3 WAR.

According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, Henderson's 20 home runs through his team's first 63 games this season are tied for the seventh-most by a player 22 years old or younger.

Harmon Killebrew set the record with 24 in 1959, while Mel Ott, Johnny Bench, Alex Rodriguez, Bryce Harper and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each had 21. Eddie Mathews hit 20 in 1953, as did Albert Pujols in 2001.

Langs also noted that Henderson's 20 home runs out of the leadoff spot are the second-most by any player through 63 games. Former Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson had the most at this point in the season with 22 in 1996.

Henderson is on pace for 51 home runs and 115 RBI this year. The MLB records for home runs and RBI out of the leadoff spot were both broken in 2023 – Ronald Acuña had 41 homers and Mookie Betts drove in 107 runs.

OptaSTATS compiled all of Henderson's most unique achievements so far in 2024, which combine to give him the most exclusive achievement of all.

No player in MLB history had previously hit 20 home runs in a season prior to turning 23, hit 20 home runs in a season as a leadoff hitter and hit 20 home runs in a season as a shortstop throughout their career. Not only has Henderson done all three in one year, but it took him less than 40% of the schedule to do so.

Henderson will look to continue his historic power surge Sunday against the Rays. The Orioles can claim victory in the four-game series if they come away with the road win at 1:40 p.m. ET.

The reigning AL Rookie of the Year will presumably start at shortstop and bat leadoff.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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