"We’re very fortunate" - Orioles star Gunnar Henderson speaks up on controversial final out in win vs. Angels

Gunnar Henderson applied a tag on a stolen base attempt, which sealed the victory for the Baltimore Orioles. It was an extremely close play and the replay suggested there might have been a chance Jo Adell got in before Henderson's tag. The replay wasn't conclusive, which left the call as it stood on the field: out. Game over.

The controversial ending caught the media's eye, and Henderson was asked about the close play to seal a key victory via Clutch Points:

“I felt like I got a good tag on him. It was really close. We’re very fortunate that they called it out on the field," he said.

It was as close a play as there can be, but the Los Angeles Angels runner was called out on the field and they couldn't see enough to overturn the call. It's tough to end a game like that, but that's how the Orioles earned their 16th win.

They are still chasing the New York Yankees by a half-game in the AL East standings, so wins like this one are vital early on. The Angels scored once in the bottom of the ninth to cut the deficit in half, and Adell was the tying run. James McCann threw him out to end the game on a controversial note.

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Gunnar Henderson following up brilliant Rookie of the Year campaign

After catching fire in his rookie season, Gunnar Henderson is out to prove that he's more than a flash in the pan. He recorded 4.7 fWAR and hit at 123 wRC+. This year, he's almost blowing those numbers out of the water.

Gunnar Henderson has been red hot in 2024

He already has 1.9 fWAR and a 192 wRC+. He's been nothing short of fantastic. Over a full season, that fWAR would translate roughly to 11.8 fWAR. For context, Aaron Judge's 2022 season carried 11.2 fWAR.

Henderson's offense is terrific and well-documented, but he also plays effectively on defense. He has been worth -1 DRS, which is average. As long as he doesn't perform terribly, his offense is more than enough to compensate for average defensive play.