Gunnar Henderson assigned blame after the Baltimore Orioles lost to the Boston Red Sox.
The Baltimore Orioles dropped their second straight game on Sunday, falling to the Boston Red Sox, a team that had just fired manager Alex Cora and multiple coaches earlier in the week.
The loss pushed Baltimore to 13-15 on the season, a disappointing mark for a club expected to contend in the American League. The Orioles offense once again struggled to find consistency, managing just three runs after scoring only one the day before.
That inconsistency has defined their recent stretch, especially considering they plated 18 runs across the two games prior.
After the loss, Gunnar Henderson did not shy away from accountability. "I'd like to take some of the responsibility. I haven't really been getting on base for the guys behind me, and I feel like, being able to do that, I've just got to keep working my butt off. So I'd like to take some responsibility for that,” Henderson said when asked about Baltimore’s inconsistent offense (h/t Jake Rill of MLB.com).
It is the kind of leadership the Orioles need from one of their brightest superstars. Henderson is right, this is simply how baseball works sometimes, but hearing a franchise player take ownership carries weight inside a clubhouse searching for answers.
Through 28 games, Henderson has been productive in some areas but inconsistent overall. He has launched nine home runs and driven in 18 runs, showing the elite power that makes him one of the most dangerous hitters in the league.
But he has also struggled to make consistent contact, entering Monday with a .210 batting average and an American League-leading 41 strikeouts. When he connects, the ball flies. The issue has been how often he is connecting.
If Henderson can tighten up his approach and lift his contact rate while maintaining his power, he could quickly return to peak form, the version of him that makes him an annual AL MVP candidate. He is already a former Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, All-Star and two-time top-10 MVP finisher. The track record speaks for itself.
But the Orioles need that version of Henderson now. If they want to return to the postseason, their best player must steady the lineup and set the tone.
Based on his comments, Henderson understands exactly how urgent that task has become. Baltimore opens up another series against the Houston Astros and the offense will have an excellent opportunity to get back on track against one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball.