The Baltimore Orioles got more tough news regarding their infield Saturday, and shortstop Gunnar Henderson did not hold back about third baseman Jordan Westburg’s injury in a way that cuts through box scores and stat lines. Westburg’s elbow setback, a partial UCL tear expected to sideline him until at least May, hit the clubhouse hard. The initial reaction in the room has centered on Henderson, who has grown close to the third baseman on and off the field.
Henderson trained with Westburg over the winter, expecting they would lock down the left side of the infield together once the regular season began. That plan is on hold now, and the shortstop is clearly more worried about his friend than any lineup shuffle. For a team with postseason expectations, opening the year without the former Mississippi State standout creates a real infield concern for the Orioles, but his comments make it clear the human side comes first.
In an article written by MASN Sports’ Roch Kubatko, the former No. 1 prospect said the following about his teammate.
“It sucks,” Henderson said. “He works his butt off. I hate it for him because I know he just wants to be out there on the field. That’s all he wants to do, playing out there with the guys. Praying the shot works and he gets out there soon.”
Henderson’s emotional message echoes how many in the organization feel about Westburg, who keeps getting sidelined by injuries. With the shortstop’s own history of spring setbacks, that empathy hits even harder in a camp already weighed down by health concerns for several young core players. When a cornerstone goes down, the Orioles lose Westburg in the short term, but they also have the chance to rally around him, and this quote captures that dynamic.
For the O's, the baseball questions will focus on who soaks up those innings and how the depth holds up. For the shortstop, the priority is simpler than any roster math. He just wants to see his friend healthy and back on the field, doing what he loves.
