The 21-year-old Orioles phenomenon is currently on an incredible recovery and that continued at Camden Yards on Tuesday night. Henderson helped Baltimore to an 11-6 win over Toronto by becoming the first O’s rookie to hit a grand slam and a home run in three straight games since Ryan Mountcastle, who hit both feats in 2021.
So how does it feel playing Henderson right now?
“I just feel like when I go in the pits and just go up there and execute my plan, I’m very aware of what I want to do,” said Henderson, whose Grand Slam crowned third place in six heats. “Pitch if I have to, if it’s not where I want it to be.”
After an automatic ball due to a pitch timer violation, a 1-0 cutter by Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt came down the inside portion of the plate at 87.4 mph. It was an offer that Henderson — who demonstrates power in every area — knew could do harm. He swung and sent the ball a Statcast-predicted 387 feet in the opposite direction into the Orioles’ bullpen in left midfield, over a leaping Kevin Kiermaier.
It wasn’t a 462-foot blast like the one that hit the warehouse in a jump Sunday — the longest Eutaw Street home run in the game in the ballpark’s 31-year history — but Henderson’s grand slam was the latest example of what to do the former top candidate is capable.
“That’s my livelihood, that’s it [opposite] way,” Henderson said.
Henderson, who hit 3-of-5, extended his hitting streak to six games in which he hit 13-of-24 with four homers and 10 RBIs. He’s topped Baltimore’s rankings in the last three competitions, winning 8 of 15 – two games by three hits and another by two hits.
From May 12th to date, Henderson’s average has increased from .170 to .246 and his OPS has increased from .651 to .830. In that span, he hit seven of his ten home runs.
“You never want anyone to face adversity, but it’s all part of the process and part of being a major league player,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Gunn just hadn’t done it up here before and now he’s been through it and knows how to get out of it.
“There will be peaks and troughs and right now he’s swinging the racquet really, really well and hopefully he can keep it up for a while.”
Considering Henderson wields one of the hottest bats in the big leagues, you almost figured he’d throw up another big hit if he went loaded bases—right?
“You can’t expect a man to hit a grand slam. “But he’s expected to hit a ball as hard as he hit himself,” said Adam Frazier, who also hit one of Baltimore’s top four homers of the season. “The pitch is a real eye catcher and being able to get in there and move it left centre, more midfield, was quite an impressive swing.”
That’s something to almost always expect from Henderson, especially lately.
“He’s a special talent,” said right-hander Dean Kremer, who allowed two runs in six innings and had six strikeouts. “The guy hits the ball hard and far, he kind of does everything.”
The Orioles (42-24) improved to 18 games over .500 for the first time since July 25, 2016, with their 23rd MLB-high comeback win of the year. Along with Henderson and Frazier, Ryan O’Hearn and Aaron Hicks also went deep as part of Baltimore’s 17-hit attack.
Despite playing without the likes of Cedric Mullins (out with a right groin strain) and Mountcastle (who was out Tuesday’s 10-Day IL with dizziness), the O’s have notched up five straight wins, their second-longest winning streak of the season. They’re getting closer to the longest game, a seven-game streak from April 16-24.
“It’s a great squad we have here,” Henderson said. “It feels like there’s someone different every night who’s there for us and I think that’s a huge testament to our team.”
The last few nights, however, were mainly highlighted by Henderson. And there could be a lot more of it – this year and in the years to come.