Baltimore Orioles Reveal Controversial Choice for Team MVP Award

Baltimore Orioles Reveal Controversial Choice for Team MVP Award
Some Baltimore Orioles fans expressed dissatisfaction with the results of the Most Valuable Oriole award.

The Baltimore Orioles’ season isn’t over yet, but they have already selected their most valuable player.

On Saturday, the Orioles named Gunnar Henderson as the Most Valuable Oriole for 2024, despite there being a week left in the regular season and no guaranteed playoff spot yet.

This announcement wasn’t surprising, as Henderson has clearly been Baltimore’s standout player this year. As of Tuesday, the 23-year-old superstar boasts a value of 8.8 WAR, ranking third in the American League, behind Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr., and far exceeding any other Oriole.

In addition to playing shortstop and batting leadoff daily, Henderson leads the Orioles in multiple offensive metrics, including runs (116), hits (173), walks (76), total bases (328), and OPS (.903).

Our Country Boy did it again.

Gunnar Henderson is our 2024 Most Valuable Oriole! pic.twitter.com/siqo2xJzTD

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 21, 2024

Many Orioles fans expressed their disagreement with Henderson receiving the award, with numerous commenters on the team’s post believing Anthony Santander deserved the honor instead.

While some of Santander’s stats may not match Henderson’s, he leads Baltimore in home runs (43) and RBI (99). His home run total is second only to Judge in the AL and marks the highest ever by an Orioles switch-hitter. His RBI count also ranks in the top 10 in the AL this season.

Recency bias might play a role, as Santander has been performing better recently, hitting 34 home runs since June—almost double Henderson’s total of 19, who faced a significant slump after the All-Star Break.

Additionally, fans have noted concerns about Henderson’s fielding, given he has committed 24 errors this year, while Santander has only two, even though he plays a much easier position (right field).

While Santander has the edge in power, Henderson is seen as a more complete player. He’s a superior pure hitter, plays a more challenging position, and has a greater impact on the bases.

Ultimately, he remains the team’s best player and its most valuable one.