Grading Gunnar Henderson’s 5th Season With the Baltimore Orioles

Gunnar Henderson just wrapped up his fifth season as a member of the Baltimore Orioles a week ago. The  25-year-old shortstop finished well below the standard he set two years ago. His lackluster year leaves Baltimore with real questions about what comes next for one of their most important players.

Henderson entered 2026 coming off a solid 2025 campaign looking to produce another all-around impactful season.

Instead, he finished with a career-low .225 batting average, .309 on-base percentage and .712 OPS, along with 24 home runs, 59 RBIs and 10 stolen bases across 158 games.

Those numbers were a huge step back from the player who finished top-10 in American League MVP voting in both 2023 and 2024.

Health played a role. Henderson admitted he played through a right wrist issue at the end of the season, an injury that affected his swing and forced adjustments at the plate. He also dealt with a left knee issue in September, though he avoided the injured list entirely and remained available throughout the year.

Interestingly, Henderson himself pushed back on using the wrist as an excuse. When asked about his down year, he acknowledged the injury but said trying to force things at the plate was just as much a factor.

That kind of accountability is exactly what you want to see from a player of his caliber, but it also raises a tougher question about whether the approach issues need to be fixed beyond just getting healthy.

Henderson hit .281 with 37 home runs, 92 RBIs and an .893 OPS in 2024. His 2026 OPS was nearly 178 points lower. That is not a minor dip. That is a player who needs to find his way back to a completely different level.

The good news is that no offseason surgery is required on the wrist, and the organization believes he can move forward healthy heading into 2027. Henderson also remains under team control, so there is no urgency around his contract status.   

The Orioles finished 79-82 and missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and getting Henderson back to his 2024 form is one of the most important things that can happen for this team's chances in 2027.

A C is a fair grade for Henderson this year. He stayed on the field, showed flashes and has a clear explanation for the struggles. But Baltimore needs the player they thought they had, and that version of Henderson has not shown up in back-to-back seasons now.