Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) high fives Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander (25) after scoring during the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers after at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2024. Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Baltimore Orioles' Gunnar Henderson Hits First Home Run of Year on Rehab Assignment

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 8:51 AM ET

Playing for Triple-A Norfolk, Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson hit his first home run of the 2025 season on Sunday afternoon. It was a blast that went out to deep center field and it came against the Durham Bulls, who are the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Norfolk won the game 8-2 to earn its first win of the season. Henderson was 2-for-5 on the afternoon with three RBIs. He played designated hitter but has played shortstop on this assignment. He's rehabbing from a strained right intercostal.

It took some deliberation but we've got Gunnar Henderson homers in 2025!

The @Orioles shortstop stays blistering-hot on his rehab stint with the @NorfolkTides. pic.twitter.com/Sel84CGf32
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) March 30, 2025

If all goes well, Henderson could be back in the O's lineup later this week. The 23-year-old Alabama native is one of the best players in baseball, finishing fourth in the American League MVP voting a season ago. Heading into his fourth major league season, he's a .268 career hitter with 69 home runs.

He's helped lead the Orioles to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but they've come up short in both years. The O's won the American League East in 2023 but were beaten in the American League Division Series. In 2024, they finished second in the division and were swept in the wild card round by the Kansas City Royals.

The Orioles are 2-2 on the young season and they'll open up a new series on Monday at home against the Boston Red Sox.

The Tides are off on Monday, as is customary in Triple-A. They'll be back in action on Tuesday as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Knights, who are the affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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