The Baltimore Orioles will rely on a top prospect in 2025 as they aim to compete in the tough American League East. Currently recovering from an intercostal strain, he recently received an encouraging update from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. The shortstop himself also shared a positive outlook on his recovery, as reported by Rich Dubroff of baltimorebaseball.com.
“Gunnar Henderson thinks he’ll be ready for Opening Day and plans to play in Grapefruit League games,” Dubroff posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Not only does Henderson anticipate being ready for Opening Day, but he also expects to participate in additional Grapefruit League games before spring training concludes. His recovery is a crucial development for an Orioles team with serious postseason ambitions in 2025.
Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson hoping to be ready for Opening Day
At just 23 years old, Gunnar Henderson has already built an impressive résumé, winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2023 and earning his first All-Star selection in 2024. He capped off last season with a fourth-place finish in AL MVP voting after posting stellar numbers: 37 home runs, 31 doubles, a .281/.364/.529/.893 slash line, and 21 stolen bases.
Henderson has quickly solidified himself as one of baseball’s premier talents, showing steady improvement throughout his young career. With his continued development, there’s plenty of reason to believe he can reach even greater heights in 2025.
The Orioles’ star is once again expected to be in the AL MVP conversation, potentially emerging as a finalist or even taking home the award—provided he stays healthy.
For now, his primary focus is on recovering from injury. If all goes well, he could return in time to participate in more spring training games before the season begins.
