Gunnar Henderson went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored Friday in the Orioles' win over the Tigers, a sharp night that kept his bat moving in the right direction. He struck out once, but otherwise kept pressure on Detroit throughout the game.
After the victory, Henderson was batting.229 with 10 home runs, 24 RBI, 26 runs scored and six stolen bases across 50 games. He has also been hitting.419 over his last seven games, a stretch that suggests the star shortstop is beginning to heat up after a slower start.
That kind of production matters because Henderson's season line still leaves room for improvement even as the recent trend points upward. For fantasy players tracking lineups and late-week roster decisions, his form has become part of a broader conversation that also includes names like Ben Rice and Ketel Marte in home run pick discussions.
The tension for Baltimore is familiar: Henderson can look like a middle-of-the-order force one night and still carry a batting average that reflects how uneven the season has been. Friday's performance did not erase that, but it did show the kind of damage he can do when he strings together quality at-bats.
If the last week is any guide, Henderson is moving toward the version of himself the Orioles need most. The question now is whether this surge is the start of a longer run or just another hot streak in a season that has not yet settled into place.
