Gunnar Henderson Just Joined Elite Orioles Company — and He Did It Faster Than Cal Ripken Jr.

Baltimore’s shortstop has been in a bit of a power drought lately. But when Gunnar Henderson finally connected on Friday night, it wasn’t just any swing — it was the kind that lands your name in the franchise record books before you turn 25.

Henderson crushed his 100th career home run in the fourth inning of Baltimore’s 7-3 win over the Padres at Camden Yards. The solo shot sailed 386 feet to the right-field flag court, leaving his bat at 108.8 mph. It was his 14th homer of the 2026 season and snapped a 14-game stretch without one — a dry spell that had fans wondering when the next one would come.

The milestone came in his 567th career game, making him one of the fastest Orioles-developed players to reach triple-digit homers. Only Anthony Santander (526 games), Trey Mancini (531), and Boog Powell (564) did it faster after debuting with Baltimore. At 24 years and 348 days old, Henderson also became the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to reach 100 homers, trailing only Powell, Eddie Murray, and Manny Machado.

What This Means for Henderson’s Place in Orioles History

Here’s where it gets interesting: Henderson is now tied with Cal Ripken Jr. for home runs hit by an Oriole before turning 25. Among franchise icons, only Powell (127), Machado (121), and Murray (111) had more long balls before their 25th birthday. Considering Ripken finished with 431 career homers, that’s some pretty lofty company.

The Orioles’ offense has been on a tear, scoring at least seven runs for three straight games. Baltimore jumped on Padres starter Griffin Canning early, plating three runs in both the first and second innings. Rookie catcher Samuel Basallo launched a two-run homer in the opening frame, while Pete Alonso added a two-run single in the second. Tyler O’Neill chipped in two hits, and both Jackson Holliday and Adley Rutschman drove in runs with sacrifice flies.

Baz Grinds Through Five, Bullpen Locks It Down

Starter Shane Baz wasn’t sharp — he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings, walking two and striking out just one on 102 pitches. But the bullpen picked him up in a big way. Anthony Nunez, Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano, and Andrew Kittredge combined for four scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and slamming the door on San Diego.

The win improved Baz to 4-6 on the season, but the story of the night was Henderson’s milestone. At 24 years old with a .271 average, 14 homers, and 44 RBIs so far this season, he’s on pace to shatter his 2025 totals — and maybe rewrite a few more franchise records along the way.