Watch: Orioles star blasts homer in third straight game vs. Mariners

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Orioles star Gunnar Henderson blasts homer in third straight game vs. Mariners

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 5/19/24

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson has dismantled the Seattle Mariners pitching staff.

On Sunday, at the bottom of the first inning, Henderson demolished an 87 mph pitch from Seattle's George Kirby for a 422-foot home run. It's his third straight game with a homer. Entering this matchup, Henderson had the most home runs (14 in 43 games) in baseball.

3 straight games with a homer, 15 homers on the year.

Gunnar Henderson is ABSURD! pic.twitter.com/UtdQF4mo3d
— MLB (@MLB) May 19, 2024

After winning American League Rookie of the Year last season, Henderson is off to an even better start. On Saturday, Henderson tied former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols for the sixth-most homers through a team's first 43 games at 22 or younger, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs.

most HR in team’s first 43 games of a season at age 22 or younger:

2015 Bryce Harper: 16
1998 Alex Rodriguez: 16
1959 Harmon Killebrew: 16
2020 Fernando Tatis Jr.: 15
1953 Eddie Mathews: 15
2024 Gunnar Henderson: 14
2001 Albert Pujols: 14 https://t.co/VXmo3cwJf1
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 19, 2024

Unsurprisingly, Henderson has entered the AL MVP conversation. As of Sunday, FanDuel gives him the fourth-best odds (+440) to win the award behind Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge and Yankees right fielder Juan Soto.

If Henderson keeps rolling, it could give the Orioles (29-15) a chance to vie for a second straight AL East title. They're second in the division behind the Yankees (33-15), who have a two-game lead.

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