The Orioles’ infield puzzle may have a clean answer, and it starts with Gunnar Henderson sliding over to third base.
That’s the direction longtime MLB executive Jim Duquette pushed when discussing Baltimore’s next move, and he didn’t leave much room for debate. In his view, Henderson profiles better at third, the Orioles need a stronger defender at shortstop, and Jackson Holliday should spend the offseason learning the outfield.
“They need a better defender at shortstop,” Duquette concurred. “I think we’ve seen enough of Gunnar, and he profiles better as a third baseman … He’s just not consistent enough as a defender …
“Most organizations are built around good pitching, good behind the plate and good up the middle and in centerfield, defensively. And the Orioles are one of the few teams that aren’t in that area … You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good defensive shortstop and move Gunnar to third and move Westburg to second and maybe move Jackson to the outfield.”
It’s a significant shift, but one that fits the broader picture Baltimore is staring at. The club is already expected to move on from Adley Rutschman, the only player Orioles baseball exec Mike Elias drafted before Henderson, after dealing him to a contender with two years of team control left and no realistic path to a contract extension. Henderson appears headed toward a similar fate, especially with agent Scott Boras not known for doing extensions this deep into a player’s career.
There is still a possibility that new labor rules change the equation, perhaps even creating something like a franchise tag that could keep Henderson in Baltimore. More likely, though, the Orioles will try to get him going next season and then explore a trade closer to the deadline if his value rises.
For now, the case for a position change is being built around both performance and fit. Henderson has an OPS below .700 since the 2025 All-Star break, and the defensive numbers haven’t helped his case.
Among MLB shortstops with at least 200 innings since the start of 2025, he ranks 35th in fielding run value, with his range, accuracy and overall profile all falling short of average. His work on double plays has also continued to regress.
The Orioles have pushed him to do more, but that hasn’t produced the kind of leap they’ve wanted. The club has wanted him to work harder and try harder, yet the results have not matched the message. He has been sapped of his ability to drive in runs, with 22 on the road all season, and the strain of staying at shortstop has become part of the conversation.
Duquette said the burden may be part of the problem.
“They need a better defender at shortstop,” he said. “I think we’ve seen enough of Gunnar.”
That’s also where the broader roster conversation comes in. Baltimore needs to rebuild its outfield, and there’s a belief Holliday could eventually handle center field.
Westburg’s status adds another layer, with the Orioles still waiting to see how he looks coming off elbow surgery. Duquette said he prefers Westburg at second base, where Holliday plays now.
“I do think Holliday is a good enough athlete that he can play centerfield,” Duquette said.
The Orioles’ development approach also came under scrutiny. Duquette said the organization has gone through three coaching staffs under Elias without fixing the same issues, and he suggested Henderson could benefit from stepping away from the current environment this winter. That could mean working with Boras, his personal trainers and outside facilities such as Driveline.
“Scott is really, really good at helping his players get better,” Duquette noted, “whether in season or out of the season. That’s going to have to be an overhaul. There’s an awful lot of swinging underneath pitches and trying to launch balls and hit home runs, and this has been going on for two years now.”
Duquette also aligned with former GM Dan O’Dowd on the need to bring back people who understand fundamentals and can teach them. In that view, the Orioles’ next step is bigger than one player or one move: get Henderson to third if he remains in Baltimore, find a glove-first shortstop, and start positioning Holliday for the outfield.
The full conversation with Duquette will be available at www.youtube.com/@BIGPLAYBaltimore.
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