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Baltimore Orioles Star Gunnar Henderson Joins Exclusive List in MLB History Books

Gunnar Henderson continued to pad his stats Wednesday against the Washington Nationals, blasting his 30th home run of the season to give the Baltimore Orioles an early lead.

Sam Connon

Aug 14, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) reacts after hitting a first inning two run home run against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Aug 14, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) reacts after hitting a first inning two run home run against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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The Baltimore Orioles may have dropped their opener against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, but they were in the driver's seat the entire way on Wednesday.

That can be owed to shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who came through in a big way early on.

Henderson stepped up to the plate with one out and one on in the bottom of the first on Wednesday. The first pitch 23-year-old lefty DJ Herz threw his way was a 93 mile-per-hour fastball inside, and the 23-year-old Henderson turned on it.

With an exit velocity of 113.1 miles per hour and a launch angle of 26 degrees, Henderson sent the ball 419 feet to right for a two-run home run. That gave the Orioles a lead they would not relinquish, as they went on to win 4-1.

It was also Henderson's 30th home run of the year.

Henderson has now broken the 30-home run threshold for the first time in his young career. In doing so, he made history on top setting his team up for a win.

According to TSN's StatsCentre, Henderson is one of four shortstops age 23 or younger to have a 30-home run season. Alex Rodriguez did so twice, in 1996 and 1998, while Francisco Lindor achieved the feat in 2017 and Fernando Tatis Jr. did it in 2021.

Henderson is fresh off winning AL Rookie of the Year in 2023, when he hit .255 with 28 home runs, 82 RBI, 10 stolen bases, an .814 OPS and a 6.2 WAR across 150 games. Through 119 games this season, Henderson is batting .288 with 30 home runs, 71 RBI, 14 stolen bases, a .925 OPS and a 7.3 WAR.

It may have taken Henderson until mid-August to reach 30 home runs, but the accomplishment had been an inevitability for months. He had 27 home runs, 60 RBI and a .986 OPS though July 4, and even his slower pace of three home runs, 11 RBI and a .769 OPS in the 33 games since got him to the threshold.

Henderson, still a contender to be named an AL MVP finalist, will look to continue blasting homers against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.

If he can reach 35 home runs before the end of the season, he will only trail Rodriguez among shortstops 23 years old or younger.

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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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