Can This Baltimore Orioles Star Match Team’s Living Legend?

Gunnar Henderson is having a huge season for the Baltimore Orioles and he could match the team’s legendary shortstop.

May 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson. | Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters on Monday that he was running out of “adjectives” to describe Gunnar Henderson.

“I need to start bringing a thesaurus when I'm getting interviewed about Gunnar,” Hyde told MLB.com and other outlets. “It's unbelievable what he's doing and how good he is — in every single way."

Henderson and the Orioles were away from home facing the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday and the former second-round pick hit a home run for the fourth straight game and added to his American League lead with 16 home runs.

It’s not like Henderson is a secret in baseball.

Last year he was named the American League Rookie of the Year and won a Silver Slugger at his position as he slashed .255/.325/.489/.814 with 28 home runs and 82 RBI.

So far his season is looking better. His batting average and slugging numbers are up. Given where he is now, his pace could allow him to approach 40 home runs and 100 RBI.

It has people talking up the 22-year-old as a potential American League MVP candidate. If he manages to pull that off he would join elite company that includes their Hall-of-Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr.

Ripken is one of five players to win Rookie of the Year one year and MVP the next. He won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1982 and then the AL MVP award in 1983, as Baltimore went on to win their most recent World Series title.

Per MLB.com, the other three are Philadelphia Phillies’ Ryan Howard (2005 and 2006), Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia (2007 and 2008) and the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant (2015 and 2016).

Plus, per STATS, Henderson is the second shortstop of 22 years of age or young to lead MLB in home runs through 40 games. The other was Hall-of-Famer Rogers Hornsby in 2017 with the Cardinals.