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Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson has emerged as an MVP-caliber player in recent seasons. If Baltimore is going to compete in 2025, Henderson will likely lead the way. However, the 23-year-old infielder endured a frightening moment on Thursday in a spring training contest against the Toronto Blue Jays, via Danielle Allentuck of The Baltimore Banner.
“Gunnar Henderson is out of the game after one inning and is walking out with a trainer,” Allentuck wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Henderson left in the first inning of the game, leading to concern about a potential injury. Teams are extremely cautious in spring training, though, which is something Allentuck mentioned.
Gunnar Henderson's important impact on Orioles
Henderson has played a pivotal role in the Orioles' success in recent years. Baltimore has become a legitimate contending team. The O's feature a talented young roster with an attention-catching ceiling. Perhaps this Orioles ball club can make a World Series run sooner rather than later.
Henderson technically made his big league debut in 2022, but his official rookie season was in 2023. The infielder ultimately earned the American League Rookie of the Year Award in the '23 campaign following an impressive campaign.
In 2024, Henderson finished fourth in AL MVP voting after slashing .281/.364/.529/.893 across 159 games played. He added 37 home runs, 31 doubles, 92 RBI and 21 stolen bases.
He has been able to stay healthy for the most part in his first two big league seasons as well, playing in at least 150 games in both 2023 and 2024. Henderson's durability and talent have been crucial for the Orioles without question.
Baltimore is going to proceed with extreme caution in the spring following Henderson's scare on Thursday. The hope, of course, is that whatever issue Henderson is dealing with will prove to not be anything too serious. The Orioles will provide further updates once they are made available.
