Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson Goes Grand With Historic Homer

The Orioles have been on a tear recently, and rookie Gunnar Henderson is the main reason why.

After sweeping the Kansas City Royals in the series 3-2, 6-1, and 11-3, the Baltimore Orioles are in their stride at the right time. Baltimore is 42-24 and ranked second in the AL East, only behind the Tampa Bay Rays by four games.

The Toronto Blue Jays are next on the list for the Orioles, as Baltimore already won their first match in the series 11-6 and are on the hunt for another sweep. The 21-year-old Henderson has ten homers already this season and is on a three-game streak, not to mention one home run that was 462 feet in the air and was recorded as the longest home run in the 31-year history of Eutaw Street in Camden Park.

Two days after, the Orioles shortstop and third baseman hit his first career grand slam against the Blue Jays, as they recently had their pitcher Anthony Bass DFA’d and replaced after sharing an Anti-LGBTQ post. Baltimore plays their final two games of the series against Toronto this upcoming weekend.

Henderson was selected by Baltimore in the second round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft with the 42nd overall pick. In the summer of 2022, he was picked up by the Orioles to the major leagues after playing in the minors for three seasons.

This is just the start of Henderson’s major league career as an Oriole, as the last three games, he’s had five at-bats in each contest, with four runs, eight hits, and eight RBIs. It is insane that his home runs in those games are the same amount as his strikeouts total of three.

Either way, nothing has seemed to slow down the hottest and youngest hitter in baseball right now, as Gunnar is closer to a shot at the warehouse than ever before.

Something no one has ever done in MLB history in a live game, as this home run has been compared to Ken Griffey Jr.‘s hit at the warehouse, estimated at around 465 feet. But that was done during a home run derby in 1993.

Henderson was just a few feet away from shattering another record.

Article by Andrew Kim

Projected Summer, 2023 Graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Media Studies/ Journalism from Mercy College.