Henderson has added another element to his game this year: base-stealing ability

The Orioles' Gunnar Henderson has always been able to impact a game with five tools, and the speed element of that is on greater display during the 2024 season.

He might have to pick up the pace a bit in the stolen-base department, but Henderson has a chance to become the second Oriole - Cedric Mullins did it in 2021 - to hit 30 or more homers and steal at least 30 bases in one season.

Henderson is running more this year, is very comfortable swiping bags and now has a manager willing to give him a green light to go more than ever.

He began last night second in the AL in homers (26), slugging (.618) and OPS (1.005), but also tied for 13^th in the league with 13 steals. He is 13-for-14 this year after stealing 10 bases in 13 attempts all of last year.

Has he just made a concerted effort to run more this year?

“I wouldn’t say that. I feel it is just about experience,” Henderson said this week. “I didn’t get much experience last year, ending up with 10. Being able to get the experience of learning when is a good time to steal and just doing the homework on the pitcher has been a big thing for me.

“I feel like I have always been a pretty good basestealer. It’s just a matter of earning that trust at the big league level. Feel like I am proving that now.”

He would steal 26 bases for the year at his current pace, and has four steals in his last eight games heading into Thursday’s play.

He is just showing us that a player already considered among the top young talents in the game can still find ways to get better.

“I know there are still more things I can bring to the table, and that is one of them," Henderson said. "So, just try to work as much as I can at that each day to be the best all-around player that I can be.”

Said O’s manager Brandon Hyde: “Just another year of experience. I’m giving him more freedom and he’s more aggressive because he is more comfortable. He hasn’t gotten any faster. He just probably trusts himself a little bit more right now and is looking to run more because I’ve freed him up more this year.”

Henderson agrees Hyde is giving him more green lights this year.

“Starting to, yeah,” he said. “There are certain situations when it might not be the time to go and he’ll give you the red light. Feel like I am starting to get more of his trust on the base paths. It's just coming with experience and making the best calculated decisions on going.

“We look at (pitcher) tendencies. (First base coach) Anthony Sanders is a big part of that and always gives us good insights on what could be going on.”

Henderson said he’s excited that he is getting to show off another aspect of his many talents on a ballfield this year.

“Yeah, I mean I always knew I could be a decent base stealer," he said. "But at this level, every out matters. But I have proven to myself I can do that at this level.”

O's hammer Texas: The Orioles didn't so much use their running game, but they did mash four more home runs on Thursday night as they bashed Texas right-hander Jon Gray in an 11-2 win over the Rangers. Gray allowed eight runs in five innings.

The Birds have hit 11 homers the last three games, 26 in 11 and 57 homers in 26 games in June. This month the O's are scoring 5.9 runs per game with a team OPS of .868.

Over the last 12 games - which includes a three-game stretch where they scored just four runs - the Orioles are averaging 6.5 runs per game, batting .305 as a team with an OPS of .926.

The O's are 51-30 at the season's halfway point, on a pace to win 102 games. They also moved into a first-place tie in the AL East as the Yankees lost 9-2 at Toronto. The Orioles actually have small percentage points lead over the Yankees at .630 to .627.

The Orioles had not been in first-place, alone or with a share of the top spot, since May 13. 

The Orioles' 57 homers in June is a team record for the month of June. With one more homer the O's will tie their team record for homers in any calender month. They hit 58 in May of 1987.