‘That’s the kind of player to build a team around’: How Gunnar Henderson became an early AL MVP candidate
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Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
BALTIMORE — Clarke Schmidt made only one mistake Monday, and it wasn’t a bad pitch. The New York Yankees starter thought Gunnar Henderson looked awkward fouling off two straight knuckle-curves, so he threw the Baltimore Orioles leadoff hitter a third one. It was sharper than the previous two — not exactly where he wanted it, but close.
With Schmidt’s stuff, particularly crisp on this balmy night, close is usually good enough. Not against Henderson.
Henderson crushed the baseball 112.3 mph, 410 feet over the tall right-field wall at Camden Yards for a leadoff home run. The laser gave the Orioles a lead they wouldn’t fumble in their series opener against the rival Yankees, and it made history: The 22-year-old shortstop became the youngest player in Major League Baseball history with 10 home runs before the start of May.
“That’s the kind of player,” Schmidt said, “to build a team around.”
For several years, baseball talk in Baltimore was about the future. The farm system represented hope while the big league club floundered with rosters designed to lose. The Orioles endured three seasons with at least 108 losses. They went six consecutive years without a postseason berth.
Then last season, results finally flipped. They won 101 games and their first division title since 2014.
Henderson was in the thick of the turnaround, starring for the resurgent franchise en route to winning American League Rookie of the Year. The mustached, mulleted dynamo mirrors the Orioles’ trajectory over the past half-decade — from promising rebuild to ready for prime time to finally, perhaps, a perennial force.
“I want to ultimately be one of the best players to play the game,” Henderson said. “I feel like that’s how I’ve carried myself.”
Now the everyday shortstop — he split time primarily between shortstop and third base as a rookie — Henderson is garnering MVP buzz as the Orioles settle into their unfamiliar status as AL East favorites. They passed their first stiff test of the season this week, taking three of four games from the Yankees, their main competition in the AL East so far, in a series that featured an electricity at Camden Yards rarely generated this early in a season.
Henderson began the series with some thump, but pitching dominated the four-game set. The Orioles, whose bullpen limped into the series after blowing two games to the Oakland Athletics, held the Yankees to just six runs over the four days. Luis Gil carried the Yankees to their lone win, tossing a career-high 6⅓ innings in a 2-0 victory Wednesday. Other than that, the Orioles rolled.
“It’s still early,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde cautioned after the Orioles’ series-closing 7-2 win Thursday.
It was the O’s 16th straight series win against an AL East foe, a date that stretches back more than a year. It’s why this year, even coming off a disappointing Division Series sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers last fall, expectations are different in Baltimore.
The Orioles were among the preseason favorites to win the World Series. They’re first in their division, with the best record in the American League. The O’s lead the majors in home runs — by seven — and rank second in runs. The pitching staff this week received reinforcements when starters Kyle Bradish and John Means were activated from the injured list. Bradish, fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2023, made his season debut Thursday, holding the Yankees to one run over 4⅔ innings.
There are still players to develop and prospects to incorporate at the major league level. But after years building to this point, to annual contention, they have a chance to bring the franchise’s first championship to Baltimore since 1983.
“The future is now,” Orioles reliever Danny Coulombe said. “We’re in our window already.”
Adley Rutschman, who joined the big league club in 2022, is now one of the sport’s premier catchers. Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser — both under 26 — have excelled. The lineup is so deep that Heston Kjerstad, a top-100 prospect, has mostly been stuck on the bench since mashing his way to a promotion on April 23. Then there’s Jackson Holliday, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the sport, back in Triple-A — for now — after a rough big league introduction.
Coulombe, at 34 the third-oldest member of the Orioles, recalled looking around during spring training and marveling at the nameplates above the lockers.
“I remember being like, ‘There is so much talent in this organization,'” Coulombe said. “It’s a lot. Gunnar, obviously, is probably the best one. It’s hard to deny that.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Coulombe, a left-hander, in the 25th round in 2012. The Dodgers’ first-round pick that year was a high school shortstop named Corey Seager. Henderson, Coulombe said, reminds him of Seager — but with speed. A big, left-handed hitter. The drive, the preparation. The way the game looks so easy to him.
Henderson’s other teammates see it too.
“He always wants to improve and that’s what separates one ballplayer from another — a star from a regular player,” Orioles veteran infielder Jorge Mateo said in Spanish. “To me, he’s a star already. And I know he’s going to keep improving.”
Henderson’s rise wasn’t linear. A year ago, he was scuffling in his first extended stint as a major leaguer. He slashed .201/.332/.370 over the season’s first two months, then the 2019 second-round draft pick turned it around in June. Henderson finished the season batting .255 with 28 home runs and an .814 OPS.
“It’s like, got to go up there and you got to trick yourself into having that self-confidence because you just go through it every single day and it really beats you down mentally,” Henderson said. “It’s definitely tough.”
There’s been no slow start to overcome this year. On Friday, Henderson — who slashed .291/.356/.624 in March/April — was named American League Player of the Month.
“I don’t know what tool he doesn’t have,” Hyde said. “He’s doing a little bit of everything, and he’s got the physical ability and the mental ability to be as good as there can be.”
Each of the teams in the Eastern Conference playoff mix has 15 to 17 games remaining in the regular season.
Three teams in the Atlantic Division have all but clinched their spots — the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning — and two from the Metro are essentially shoo-ins, the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. The New Jersey Devils are knocking on that door, and a current three-game winning streak certainly helps.
The Ottawa Senators have opened up a nice gap as the first wild card, with 75 points and 26 regulation wins in 65 games. Beyond them, things get interesting.
The Columbus Blue Jackets technically are in the second wild-card spot thanks to getting to 70 points in fewer games played (65) than the New York Rangers (66). The Montreal Canadiens (69 points) are right behind them, followed by the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, both with 68 points.
If it comes down to the regulation-wins tiebreaker at season’s end, the Rangers have an upper hand over all the rest, with 29 in that column, compared with 23 for the Jackets, Red Wings and Bruins, and just 22 for the Habs.
Four of the five teams are in action Saturday:
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The Bruins host the Lightning at 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
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The Canadiens host the Panthers also at 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
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The Blue Jackets face the visiting Rangers also at 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
And if they have their sights set on catching the Senators, these clubs are all rooting for the Maple Leafs, who host Ottawa (7 p.m., ESPN+). It’s a great night for multiple streaming devices!
There is a lot of runway left until April 17, the final day of the regular season, and we’ll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Yesterday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Calgary Flames
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
Saturday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Vegas Golden Knights at Buffalo Sabres, 12:30 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins, 3 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)
Washington Capitals at San Jose Sharks, 5 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings, 8 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.
Friday’s scoreboard
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Detroit Red Wings 2
Edmonton Oilers 2, New York Islanders 1 (OT)
Winnipeg Jets 4, Dallas Stars 1
Colorado Avalanche 4, Calgary Flames 2
Anaheim Ducks 2, Nashville Predators 1
Seattle Kraken 4, Utah Hockey Club 2
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 85
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 99.7
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 94.6
Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 10%
Tragic number: 34
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 84.5
Next game: vs. VGK (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 11.1%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 8%
Tragic number: 29
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 71.8
Next game: vs. VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 23
Metro Division
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 116.8
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 84
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 104.4
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 95.5
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 97.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 88.3
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 19.2%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 87.0
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 41%
Tragic number: 33
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: vs. FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 12.7%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 78.3
Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1.7%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 77.2
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.6%
Tragic number: 23
Central Division
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 117.5
Next game: @ SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 108.5
Next game: @ COL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 101.6
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 98.2
Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 94.6%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 85.7
Next game: @ MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 22.7%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 85.7
Next game: @ VAN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 31.8%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 71.9
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 21
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 60.9
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 11
Pacific Division
Points: 85
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 107.2
Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 99.4
Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.4%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 101.2
Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.4%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 89.6
Next game: @ TOR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 29.2%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 89.6
Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 22.9%
Tragic number: 35
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 80.8
Next game: @ STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 27
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 75.9
Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 22
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 55.1
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 5
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 29
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 23
The Texas Rangers‘ pitching staff took another hit Friday, when right-hander Jon Gray suffered a right wrist fracture.
Gray was struck by a line drive from Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia to lead off the fourth inning that knocked him out of the game.
“Not good news, not good news,” manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “It’s terrible. I feel awful for him, to be this close to getting the season going. It’s just not good news. I’ll get back in there and find out more, but right now, there is a fracture.”
Gray’s injury is the third setback for the Rangers rotation this week. The team said Thursday that left-hander Cody Bradford would start the season on the injured list because of soreness in his throwing elbow. Tyler Mahle had been scratched from a start with forearm soreness, but the right-hander returned to pitch in a minor league game Thursday.
Gray went 5-6 with a 4.47 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) for the Rangers last season, when he was shut down in September for a foot injury that required surgery. He is in the final year of a four-year, $56 million deal.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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