Gunnar Henderson Will Start The Year On The Injured List
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) will start the season on the injured list, according to general manager Mike Elias. It's a bummer for the breakout All-Star from a season ago, but the good news is that Elias thinks this will result in Henderson only missing days, not weeks. At the minimum, Henderson will only have to miss the first seven days of the 2025 season. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter suffered an intercostal strain in late February and never returned to spring training action, so fantasy managers shouldn't exactly be surprised by this news. Despite the injury, Henderson was still likely taken in the first round in most fantasy drafts after the monster year he had in 2024. With Henderson starting on the IL, Jackson Holliday is expected to start at the 6 on Opening Day, with Ramon Urias starting at second base.
Gunnar Henderson To Take Live Batting Practice On Saturday
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) will take live batting practice in camp on Saturday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Henderson is running out of time to be ready for Opening Day next Thursday, but the 23-year-old All-Star will take hacks against live pitching this weekend after being sidelined at spring training with a right-intercostal strain. He has only seen action in three Grapefruit League games, so fantasy managers that already used a first-round pick on Henderson have to be a bit worried that his lack of activity in camp could lead to a slow start in 2025. The good news is that if he's forced to open the year on the injured list, hopefully it won't be long before he's able to make his season debut in April. In just his third MLB season, Henderson broke out in 2024 with 37 homers, 92 RBI, 21 steals, 118 runs and a .281/.364/.529 slash line in 159 regular-season games.
Gunnar Henderson "Running Out Of Time" To Be Ready For Opening Day
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) is "running out of time" to be ready for Opening Day next Thursday against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Hyde is still "hopeful," but there are only a few spring training games remaining on the schedule. The good news is that if Henderson opens the 2025 season on the injured list, it shouldn't be very long before he's able to make his debut. The most likely scenario if the 23-year-old isn't ready for Opening Day is that young infielder Jackson Holliday will shift to shortstop, with Ramon Urias seeing most of the starts at second base in Baltimore. Despite suffering an intercostal injury in spring training, Henderson was still a first-rounder in most fantasy drafts after a breakout 2024 season that saw him slash .281/.364/.529 with an .893 OPS, 37 home runs, 92 RBI, 21 steals and 118 runs scored in 159 regular-season contests.
Gunnar Henderson Takes Batting Practice On Tuesday
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) took batting practice in camp on Tuesday. While Henderson is still up in the air to be read for Opening Day next Thursday, it's a good sign that he's at least swinging and ramping up his baseball activities. However, the 23-year-old is running out of time to get into game action. Henderson is still deserving of being a first-round selection in upcoming fantasy drafts, but just be prepared for him potentially missing the early portion of the campaign. If he opens the year on the injured list, Jackson Holliday would likely slide over to shortstop, with Ramon Urias (hamstring) likely taking over at second base. Henderson won the American League Rookie of the Year in 2023 and was a first-time All-Star in 2024, slashing .281/.364/.529 with 37 home runs, 92 RBI, 21 steals and 118 runs scored in 159 games. He can do it all.
Gunnar Henderson Hopes To Be Ready For Opening Day
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) is feeling better and is still planning to be ready for Opening Day. Roch Kubatko of MASN noted that Henderson is planning to get into spring training contests soon as well. Henderson sustained this injury in February but is still on track to be in the Opening Day lineup. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as a return to spring training could provide clarity on his availability for the regular season. Last season, the 23-year-old enjoyed a career-season as he posted a .281/.364/.529 slash line with 37 home runs and 21 stolen bases. He generated an elite .374 xwOBA, .282 xBA, and a .492 xSLG, placing him in the 94th, 93rd, and 92nd percentile, respectively. If Henderson were to miss time early in the season, Jackson Holliday will likely shift to shortstop, opening the keystone for Ramon Urias.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) hit in the batting cages on Tuesday in camp as he starts his progression from a mild right-intercostal strain. He is scheduled to take ground balls on Wednesday. The Orioles aren't ruling out Henderson for the start of the 2025 regular season, but he's running out of time to be ready at the end of March with only two weeks until Opening Day on March 27 against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned, but Henderson has dropped from being RotoBaller's No. 7 overall player to No. 11 because of his injury. If the 23-year-old does open the year on the injured list, hopefully it will be a short stay. With Henderson sidelined, Jackson Holliday has seen action at shortstop. Ramon Urias and Jordan Westburg would be Baltimore primary options at second and third base.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (side) is "progressing well" but remains without a definite timetable. Manager Brandon Hyde noted that he is still unsure when he will return to game action. Henderson sustained this injury last Thursday and could be in danger of missing Opening Day. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team will likely be cautious as he increases his activity. Last season, the former top prospect enjoyed the best season of his career as he went deep 37 times and held a strong .281/.364/.529 slash line. He added 21 swiped bags and drew walks at a strong 10.8 percent rate. He generated an elite .374 xwOBA and a 53.9 percent hard-hit rate, placing him in the 94th and 97th percentile, respectively. If Henderson were to miss time early in the season, Jackson Holliday would shift to shortstop, which would open the keystone for Ramon Urias.
Gunnar Henderson Has Intercostal Strain; O's Hopeful He'll Be Ready For Opening Day
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) is dealing with an intercostal strain in camp but is improving, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The skipper remains hopeful that Henderson will be ready for Opening Day later this month. The 23-year-old's availability for the start of the 2025 regular season is up in the air, but the good news is it's a mild intercostal strain, so even if he has to start the year on the injured list, it shouldn't be a lengthy absence. It's unclear when Henderson will return to Grapefruit League play after he injured his intercostal last Thursday. Henderson's injury could have fantasy managers hesitant to take him as a top-seven overall player in the early portion of the first round of drafts. If Henderson is forced to start Opening Day on the injured list, Jackson Holliday could be moved to shortstop, which would open up a spot at either second or third for Ramon Urias.
Gunnar Henderson Turning A Corner, Feeling A Lot Better
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (side) is feeling the "best he's felt" since leaving last Thursday's Grapefruit League game with right lower-side discomfort, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The skipper said that Henderson has turned a corner. With that said, expect Henderson to resume baseball activities soon and potentially get back into a spring training game by the end of this week. It's excellent news for the 23-year-old, who has become one of the best all-around players in baseball after his breakout season in 2024. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 6 overall player for fantasy drafts, behind Shohei Ohtani, Bobby Witt Jr., Aaron Judge, Elly De La Cruz and Jose Ramirez. The former second-rounder as a first-time All-Star in 2024 and slashed .281/.364/.529 with an .893 OPS, 37 home runs, 92 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 159 games played.
Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson (side) is a few days away from returning to baseball activities, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The 23-year-old was held out of action this weekend due to lower side discomfort. The expectation is that Henderson will be back in the lineup within the next week. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect this issue to sideline Henderson to begin the season. The young infielder is looking to build off his strong rookie season where he mashed 37 home runs and knocked in nearly 100 runs across 159 games.
Gunnar Henderson
• SS
•
Orioles
