The Baltimore Orioles had a productive offseason and signed both Pete Alonso and Chris Bassitt. Their starting rotation looks much stronger this season, and they finally have another bat to build around in Alonso.
However, Alonso isn’t the only player worth watching in the Orioles’ lineup. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson is looking to bounce back after his power numbers dipped a bit in 2025. He hit over 30 home runs in 2024 with Baltimore.
As the 2026 season begins, Keith Law of The Athletic predicts that Henderson will be the one to take home the American League MVP award.
“I’m betting Henderson returns to his 2024 form and then some, getting back to 30-plus homers and an OBP north of .350, with some boost in his voter support if the Orioles get back into the playoffs (as I’m predicting),” Law wrote.
“My pick last year, Julío Rodríguez, is also on my short list here, as is the 2024 runner-up Bobby Witt Jr.”
Gunnar Henderson Could Be MVP Candidate
Henderson’s numbers in 2025 were still impressive. He slashed .274/.349/.438 while driving in 68 runs, posting a 5.3 WAR and stealing 30 bases. However, he hit just 17 home runs and had a .787 OPS, well below his .893 mark in 2024.
However, if he can get back to where he was in 2024, he could very easily become an MVP candidate and potentially take home the award in 2026. He’ll have to compete against the likes of Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Rodriguez and Witt, but that should at the very least make for an interesting race.
Henderson was able to at least stay healthy in 2025, playing 154 games with Baltimore and putting together solid numbers despite the Orioles finishing 75-87 and in last place in the AL East.
But if Henderson can bounce back, Baltimore could be a much better team this season, and that could give them a potential edge in the Wild Card and AL East races. They’ll need him to be his 30-homer self from 2024 though.
He and Alonso could form a strong duo in the middle of the Orioles’ lineup that helps get the team back into postseason contention. If all goes according to plan, there’s a lot to like about having those two bats in the middle of the lineup.
Henderson has put up MVP numbers before, and the Orioles will need him to do that again in 2026. If he is back to where he was in 2024, he and the Orioles should be just fine moving forward.
Can Henderson win MVP?
The AL MVP race will be a tight one if Judge and Raleigh continue at their torrid paces from last season, which would make it hard for Henderson to win the award. However, if he stays healthy and puts up strong numbers like he did two years ago, he has as good of a chance as any player in the American League to get the job done.
It will be interesting to see what 2026 holds for the power-hitting shortstop. There is still a lot of upside with the former AL Rookie of the Year, and he still has more left in the tank.
Baltimore Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson Predicted to Earn Elite Achievement