Gunnar Hoglund

Gunnar Henderson, 25-year-old Baltimore Orioles shortstop, is experiencing a significant early-season slump through approximately 37 games in 2026. He is batting .201/.260/.421 with a 91-95 wRC+ and striking out at a 31.2% rate (on pace for 230 strikeouts, an Orioles single-season record). Henderson has acknowledged his struggles, stating he's "been pretty terrible for about a month now" and has been "beating my head against a pole trying to figure this crap out." He attributes his issues to trying too hard, being too passive, and not giving himself time to decipher pitches before swinging harder. Notably, Henderson is performing terribly with two strikes (.076 BA/.131 OBP/.152 SLG) compared to his performance with less than two strikes (.387/.449/.839). This represents a dramatic departure from his 2024 season (154 wRC+) and 2025 season (120 wRC+). As a Boras client under team control through 2028 in his first arbitration year at $8.5MM, there is speculation about potential trade timing. The Orioles (16-20) have largely abandoned AL East hopes but remain one game back for a wild card spot with a 31.4% playoff probability.