According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles may not have Gunnar Henderson in the lineup for Opening Day as he recovers from an intercostal strain suffered earlier this month. While the All-Star shortstop has returned to baseball activities, Morosi pointed out that the window for him to be ready by the season opener is narrowing.
“There’s still a chance Henderson makes it back in time for Opening Day,” Morosi explained. “But the clock is ticking as he continues to deal with an intercostal strain that’s kept him out of recent game action. He’s been hitting in the cage and fielding ground balls, but it’s still uncertain if he’ll be ready for the start of the season.”
For his part, Henderson sounded upbeat about his progress earlier this week, although he stopped short of guaranteeing his availability for Opening Day.
“I’m feeling really good,” Henderson told MLB Network. “I took some ground balls today and swung a bit more, so things are moving in the right direction. Now it’s just a matter of getting the at-bats I need to be ready. But overall, I feel like I’m making good progress.”
Despite the uncertainty, it doesn’t appear that Henderson’s injury is a long-term concern. Still, the Orioles can ill afford to be without him, even briefly. Last season, Henderson appeared in 159 games, posting a .281/.364/.529 slash line with 37 home runs, 92 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 25 tries. He was worth an impressive 9.1 WAR and finished fourth in AL MVP voting before the Orioles were eliminated by the Kansas City Royals in the Wild Card round.
If Henderson isn’t available on Opening Day, he would likely miss the Orioles’ three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox from March 31 to April 3. That absence could work in Boston’s favor, considering Henderson torched the Red Sox last year, hitting .255/.328/.636 with five homers and 12 RBIs in 13 games.
While Henderson’s injury may not alter the overall landscape in the AL East, it could provide the Red Sox an early boost as they aim to contend in 2025.
