Gunnar is heating up, and it couldn't come at a better time for O's

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BALTIMORE -- As Gunnar Henderson stood in front of his locker and addressed the media on June 28 -- not long after an Orioles loss to the Nationals earlier that day -- the star shortstop’s quiet demeanor and soft-spoken words best told the story of how his 2026 season had gone.

“It’s just been -- I don’t even know how to describe it. Probably one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever been through,” Henderson said that evening. “I come in, work my butt off every day, and I know you don’t want to think about results, but it’s hard not to.”

Much of the year has been disappointing for the 25-year-old Henderson, who has shown he can be one of the top players in baseball when he’s at his best. He has still been a solid player, but he just hasn’t been his best often enough this year.

With the work continuing and the results still not showing up, Henderson changed his entire mindset while working in the batting cage at Daikin Park in Houston last weekend. It was time for him to let loose a bit.

“I started trying less, to be honest with you,” Henderson said. “Just got literally in the cage off the machine and swung about as easy as I could off a pretty firm velo, and that’s about all I did.”

Not many days have passed, but so far, it seems to be doing the trick for Henderson.

Henderson had an RBI single as part of a 1-for-4 showing during Sunday’s win over the Astros, then went a combined 5-for-12 during a three-game series vs. the Red Sox at Fenway Park earlier this week. He hit three opposite-field doubles to left field on Monday, then tripled during Wednesday night’s finale -- with all four extra-base hits being left-on-left knocks off southpaws.

It’s always a good sign when a hitter is driving balls the other way, and Henderson spent all week peppering balls out toward the Green Monster.

“It was very telling of where Gunnar’s at,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “It was a really great series for him, and like we’ve always talked about, he’s always been close to getting the results, and it’s good to see him get the results.”

Henderson ranks second on the O’s with 17 home runs (behind only Pete Alonso’s 21), but he is hitting just .225 with a .701 OPS through 102 games. It’s not quite the level the five-year MLB veteran performed at in past years -- such as 2024, when he hit .281 with 37 homers and an .893 OPS and finished fourth in American League MVP Award voting.

If there was ever an ideal time for Henderson to get going like that again, it would be now.

Baltimore has lost three of its top offensive performers to the injured list since July 16 -- utility man Blaze Alexander (left hand fracture) and catchers Adley Rutschman (left wrist inflammation) and Samuel Basallo (right shoulder inflammation).

Yet, the O’s (50-53) are only three games back of the third AL Wild Card spot (currently occupied by the Red Sox). And with only nine games to play ahead of the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline, this is a key stretch for the team to convince the front office to be buyers.

So if Henderson can keep raking, it should help lead to positive results for the Orioles.

“I hold myself to a high standard, so that comes with it,” Henderson said. “I want to get on base for the guys behind me and cause some havoc on the bases. Obviously I had some things I needed to clean up, and I feel like I’ve done that and am starting to hit the ball a little better. Starting to drive it all over the field.

“So hopefully, I will be more dynamic and get on base for the guys.”