The Baltimore Orioles are giving shortstop Gunnar Henderson a break on Tuesday, slotting him at designated hitter for the first time this season in their afternoon matchup against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago.
Henderson, who has started at shortstop in all 10 of his games this season, will still hit second in the lineup. The move keeps his bat in the order while giving his legs a rest, just 11 games into a long and demanding 162-game season.
The decision comes one night after Henderson provided the decisive blow in Baltimore’s 2-1 win over the White Sox on Monday, crushing a solo home run in the sixth inning, his third of the season. The Orioles had entered the series as losers of three straight, and Henderson’s bat proved to be the difference against Chicago starter Erick Fedde.
Through 10 games, the 24-year-old shortstop leads the Orioles in runs, RBI and home runs and has been one of the few consistent offensive forces on a team that is still trying to find its footing. His ability to deliver in difficult conditions was on full display Monday, launching the homer 389 feet with an exit velocity of 105.3 mph per Statcast.
In for Henderson at short is Blaze Alexander. The move is a defensive downgrade for Baltimore. Alexander has committed four errors in 138 innings at shortstop for a .915 fielding percentage. However, with Henderson's bat too valuable to remove from the lineup entirely, the tradeoff is worth it.
© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Trevor Rogers takes the ball for Baltimore, opposing White Sox right-hander Shane Smith. Rogers has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise inconsistent Orioles rotation, posting a 1.38 ERA through his first two starts of the season.
Smith, by contrast, has been roughed up badly to open the year, carrying a 19.29 ERA into Tuesday's outing after surrendering seven runs against the Miami Marlins on April 1. With the Orioles lineup in need of a confidence boost, they could hardly have drawn a more favorable opposing starter.
With the Orioles sitting at 4-6 in the American League East and still searching for consistency, keeping Henderson’s bat in the lineup while giving him a breather is a reasonable precaution. He leads the team in runs, RBI, and home runs through 10 games, and Baltimore cannot afford to risk burning out its most productive hitter too early in the season.
