Gunnar Henderson's Season Start Delayed by Injury

The Baltimore baseball team has some big news to share as they get ready for their first game of the season. The team's manager, Mike Elias, has announced that their star player, Gunnar Henderson, will start the season on the injured list. This is a big deal because Henderson had an amazing year in 2024, finishing fourth in the American League MVP voting. He hit . 281 with a . 364 on-base percentage and a . 529 slugging percentage, which is really good. He also stole 21 bases and played great defense at shortstop. Fans were excited to see what he would do next, but now they'll have to wait. The good news is that his injury, an intercostal strain, might not keep him out for too long. He'll miss at least seven days, but the team hopes it won't be much longer. While he's out, the Orioles might use Jackson Holliday or Jorge Mateo at shortstop. Mateo is coming back from elbow surgery, but he could be ready to go. However, he's not as good a hitter as Henderson. The team also announced their fifth starter for the season. Cade Povich, a left-handed pitcher, will join the rotation. He had a tough time last year with a 5. 20 ERA, but he's been pitching well in spring training. He'll get his chance to show what he can do in the regular season. His spot in the rotation might not last long, though. Grayson Rodriguez, another pitcher, is coming back from an elbow injury and could take his place soon. Rodriguez is making progress, but he'll need more time before he's ready to pitch in games. So, Povich might get four or five starts before Rodriguez is ready to come back. Meanwhile, Albert Suarez will be in the bullpen, ready to pitch when needed. He's a veteran player who has experience in both roles. The Orioles have a lot of young talent, and it will be interesting to see how they all fit together. Fans will be watching closely to see how the team does without Henderson and how the new pitchers perform.