Henderson expected to earn tonight's MLBPA award (Silver Slugger note, Henderson named Outstanding Rookie)

Gunnar Henderson is due to receive another award.

It’s been an entire week.

Henderson, the Red Sox’s Triston Casas and the Rangers’ Josh Jung are finalists for Major League Baseball Players Association’s Outstanding Rookie in the American League.

Winners will be announced tonight during the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter on ESPN, reducing the odds that the program will drag out like the Oscars. Or any of the shows on MLB Network.

Cut out the song and dance numbers and get to the nominees.

The Sporting News already announced Henderson as the AL’s Rookie of the Year in voting by players, managers and executives. Casas was runner-up.

This is what I’m expecting with tonight’s outcome and in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America balloting.

Is there anything left to say about Henderson, who, the last time we saw him, was going 6-for-12 in the Division Series? Besides how he batted .255/.325/.489 with 29 doubles, nine triples, 28 home runs, 100 runs, 82 RBIs, 56 walks and 10 stolen bases in 150 games?

Let’s try.

Henderson set the Orioles rookie records with his .489 slugging percentage, 66 extra-base hits, 100 runs scored and 6.3 bWAR. He became the fourth rookie to lead the Orioles in runs, joining Cal Ripken, Jr. (90 in 1982), Willie Tasby (69 in 1959) and Tito Francona (62 in 1956).

Oh, there’s more. Henderson also became the fourth AL rookie since 2002 to score 100 runs, joining Aaron Judge (128 in 2017), Mike Trout (129 in 2012) and Austin Jackson (103 in 2010). He’s the first rookie in team history and 20th in major league history with 20-plus doubles, five-plus triples, 20-plus home runs and 10-plus steals.

Henderson led major league rookies in bWAR, homers and extra-base hits, and he was first among AL rookies in fWAR (4.6), triples, runs, RBIs and total bases (274). He led the Orioles with 13 defensive runs saved – 10 at shortstop and three at third base – according to Sports Info Solutions.

Still more. Henderson was the third Orioles rookie with 25-plus doubles and 25-plus homer runs, joining Ripken and Eddie Murray (1977). His 210 hard-hit balls were the fourth-most by an Oriole in the pitch-tracking era that goes back to 2008. His three go-ahead home runs in the seventh inning or later tied Ripken, Francona and Ron Hansen for the most by an Orioles rookie.

Otherwise, a totally forgettable season by Henderson.

First baseman Ryan Mountcastle was the last Oriole to win the award in 2021.

The MLBPA revealed two other Orioles finalists – Kyle Bradish for AL Outstanding Pitcher with the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and the Twins’ Sonny Gray, and Ryan O’Hearn for AL Comeback Player with the White Sox’s Liam Hendriks and the Rays’ Tyler Glasnow.

Cole is the favorite to win the Cy Young, so I don’t think Bradish has a chance here, but his progression this season to staff ace is nonetheless very impressive. He'll get votes from the BBWAA on its five-man ballot.

Hendriks made five appearances with the White Sox after his diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December. Glasnow underwent Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2021, started twice in 2022 and went 10-7 with a 3.53 ERA and 1.083 WHIP in 21 games this year.

I don’t like O’Hearn’s chances, either, but he had a career year and deserves the recognition.

Trey Mancini won the award in 2021.

Update: Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Anthony Santander are finalists for the Silver Slugger Award in the American League. Winners will be announced Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.

Henderson was chosen in the utility category with the Angels' Brandon Drury, the Rays' Isaac Paredes and the Blue Jays' Whit Merrifield.

The other catchers are the Royals' Salvador Pérez and the Mariners' Cal Raleigh. The outfielders with Santander are the Rays' Randy Arozarena, the Rangers' Adolis García, the Yankees' Aaron Judge, the White Sox's Luis Robert Jr., the Mariners' Julio Rodríguez and the Astros' Kyle Tucker.

Winners are determined by managers and coaches who vote for players at each position in their respective leagues. Three outfielders are chosen.

Votes are based on a combination of offensive statistics including OPS, OPS+, home runs, RBIs, average, total bases and runs, as well as the managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value.

Mickey Tettleton is the last Orioles catcher to win it in 1989. Outfielder Cedric Mullins won in 2021.

Update II: Henderson was chosen AL Outstanding Rookie in the MLBPA Players Choice voting. The honors keep rolling in, with more to come.

Cole was named Outstanding Pitcher and Hendriks was Comeback Player.

Former Orioles outfielder Phil Bradley received the Curt Flood Award for his “selfless, long-time devotion to the Players Association and advancement of players’ rights.” Bradley is a former union leader who’s completing his 25^th year as an MLBPA special assistant.

The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani was the AL’s Outstanding Player. The Braves’ Ronald Acuña was the overall Player of the Year.