The Orioles’ collapse has pushed just about every uncomfortable question to the surface, and Gunnar Henderson is now right in the middle of it.
If Baltimore keeps sliding and Henderson keeps looking like this version of himself, the idea of moving him before the deadline stops sounding outrageous and starts sounding like the kind of move that could reshape everything. He entered Monday’s Detroit series with two years of control beyond this season, which is exactly why any team would line up for him.
The talent is obvious. So is the frustration.
Since Aug. 1 of last year, Henderson has played 157 games and logged 703 plate appearances. In that stretch, he has 23 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a slash line of .230/.306/.398, good for a .704 OPS. His wRC+ sits at 97, he has pulled the ball 42% of the time, and the production on the bases has not matched the player who once looked like an MVP candidate and still carries 40/40 potential.
The problem is not just the numbers. It is the way this has unfolded around him.
Henderson has looked frustrated, has made poor decisions in the field and on the bases, and has gone through long stretches without power. The longer that version of him sticks around, the more his trade value could slip.
And if Baltimore ever did decide to deal him, the market would know the Orioles would not be in position to sign him long-term anyway, especially with Scott Boras as his agent.
There is also the question of fit. Henderson is probably better at third base than shortstop, and with three playoffs of control, there would be time to make that switch if a new club wanted to.
The return could be enormous. The Nationals’ Juan Soto trade was the example raised as a kind of reset for an organization, and Henderson would bring a similar level of attention.
At the same time, the skepticism around Baltimore’s player development has only grown louder because of what has happened with Adley Rutschman and Henderson. Rutschman has been a shell of himself since late June of 2024, and Henderson’s downturn has fed the sense that something deeper is wrong. The reporting here points to internal rot and interpersonal disconnections, not just a normal slump or funk.
That is why the deadline conversation has become so extreme. If the Orioles believe this core will never fit together, then no one should be untouchable. The idea would be to turn Henderson, along with Rutschman, into a massive haul of young talent and then commit to spending heavily in 2027 to add everyday players, a closer, and a starter.
Still, the risk cuts both ways. The vast majority of players dealt at the deadline never become stars.
And if Baltimore’s current decision-makers stay in place, the fear is that they would botch the return and never get Henderson back to the level he flashed in 2023. A change of scenery, in the view laid out here, might be exactly what unlocks him again.
For now, the tension is simple: Henderson still has the kind of ceiling that can change a franchise, but the Orioles’ current path has made even that feel like a problem they may not know how to solve.
In Other News...
A Squirrel Completely Hijacked This Orioles Tigers Game at Comerica
A routine night at Comerica Park turned into a small wildlife spectacle when a black squirrel sprinted around the field for roughly two innings during the Orioles-Tigers game in Detroit. The interruption pulled in just about everyone who could help, from the grounds crew to players and coaches, as the animal darted across the playing surface and turned a baseball game into a chase scene.
Eventually, a grounds crew member got the squirrel under control with a towel and carried it off the field, bringing the delay to an end. Home plate umpire Bill Miller even used the public address system to thank the Tigers grounds crew for the work they put in, a fitting nod to a strange little detour that had nothing to do with the standings and everything to do with surviving the unexpected. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Benetti Made This Comerica Park Squirrel Moment Even Better
A routine Orioles-Tigers game at Comerica Park briefly turned into a wildlife diversion when a black squirrel made its way onto the field and interrupted the usual rhythm of the night. Before the grounds crew could get it under control, Orioles third base coach Buck Britton added to the scene by feeding the squirrel, turning a simple delay into one of those odd ballpark moments that everyone in the park seemed to notice.
Jason Benetti had plenty to work with on the broadcast as the chase unfolded, and his play-by-play helped make the scramble feel even more memorable for viewers following along. Once the squirrel was finally caught, home plate umpire Bill Miller publicly thanked the grounds crew over the microphone, wrapping up a strange little episode that fit the kind of unpredictable atmosphere only baseball can provide. [Read more 🡒]