The Baltimore Orioles are probably holding their breaths. And why not? Gunnar Henderson is struggling to be ready for the opening day. The 23-year-old shortstop is one of baseball’s brightest stars. But he suffered a mild right intercostal strain while making one of those epic highlight-reel catches in a spring training game. He had stayed in for the rest of the inning; then he was pulled before the second frame. This has left the fans and the team on thin ice.
But manager Brandon Hyde is optimistic about a plausible return on time. But, he doesn’t want to risk hurrying anything. Hyde said. “But we’re not going to push a strain there. It’s one of those sensitive areas where you don’t want anything to reoccur.” It is understandable because Henderson hasn’t been on the injured list before. But yes, losing him even for a short time isn’t ideal for the team. Now they need someone to handle his work. But who?
If Gunnar Henderson isn’t ready for Opening Day, who could man shortstop for the Orioles?@Orioles | #Birdland
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— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) March 6, 2025
If Henderson isn’t good to go on opening day, Baltimore Orioles will have to look inward for a stopgap at shortstop or third base. Options like Jordan Westburg and Ramon Urias are there, but they don’t have the power and speed of Henderson. And if you are thinking of Jackson Holiday, well, veteran Eduardo Perez strictly warns, saying, “I wouldn’t want to move Jackson Holliday… This would be a major offensive loss, and that’s why they have to be precautionary with this,” Pérez said.
Holliday is a 24-year-old second baseman with tremendous potential. Sure, the fire in him burned late last season—but he has scope. Hyde himself hyped him up, saying, “He just had an offseason to get ready for that last year, and it was a lot to learn when you change positions. To have a full year and another offseason, he feels a lot more comfortable.”
So for now, the best thing for the Orioles is to hope Henderson heals up in time. They cannot afford to miss him in the bullpen. Meanwhile, another key player of the Baltimore Orioles is recovering and you couldn’t guess the culprit!
A bizarre injury sidelines Baltimore Orioles’ Jordan Westburg
All-Star Jordan Westburg was not in action for a week, and the reason is rather bizarre. At first, he had soreness in his back. Later, he even revealed that the reason for this bad bout of back pain is a mattress. He had been sleeping on a soft mattress during his spring training in an Airbnb, which triggered it. He told Baltimore Banner, “I’m used to sleeping on a rock back home, and my Airbnb has a little bit of a softer mattress. It was something I was trying to be stubborn through, which was stupid of me, but I got a mattress topper, and I feel much better.” And he even went on to explain why a hard mattress just makes sense.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JULY 28: Jordan Westburg #11 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
So, according to Westberg, he and his mates feel the same way: a soft mattress puts the body in a bad posture. It’s what he has figured from getting older. “A softer mattress is no good. I might sleep better on it the first two nights, but it’s no good for me,” said Westberg. And he isn’t wrong; the body in rest should lie straight rather than dig in (a soft mattress thing).
Really, because of a silly reason, Westburg could appear in just one game of spring training. But the 26-year-old has already resumed activities and is hoping to make a return to the Baltimore Orioles bullpen soon. He had hit 18 home runs with 63 RBIs and 129 OPS+ last season to earn his first All-Star game. So, a lot is expected out of him too. But, have you heard of a player down with such a bizarre injury? Let us know if you do in the comments.
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