Baltimore Orioles Shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Photo by Todd Olszewski, Baltimore Orioles.

Although the official start of spring is just under a month away, Major League Baseball’s Spring Training is alive and well on the suncoast. The Baltimore Orioles, which call Sarasota’s Ed Smith stadium home, opened Grapefruit League action on February 20 against the New York Yankees. The Orioles are primed for a return to postseason contention in 2026, after a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw the club finish fifth in the American League East with a 75-87 record, missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2022.

This season, under new manager Craig Albernaz, Baltimore is hoping for a return to form. Injuries riddled the club’s 2025 campaign, with 29 players spending time on the injury list. Baltimore is looking for resurgent performances from some of its incumbent stars, such as former All-Stars catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Gunnar Henderson. New to the squad is first baseman Pete Alonso, an All-Star in his past four seasons with the New York Mets, who signed a 5-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore in free agency. “He has been energetic and I have had a lot of fun watching him do his different routines and getting to know the guys,” says Henderson of his new teammate. “He’s molded into the team really well and being able to do that as soon as you get into a clubhouse is big. I feel like he’s going to be very good for us.”

Henderson won’t be in Sarasota for long, however. Set to make his debut for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Henderson will join a loaded squad looking to avenge the 2023 WBC championship loss to Japan. “They say it is a different level of intensity, so I am super excited to experience that,” says Henderson.

Baltimore Orioles Shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Photo by Todd Olszewski, Baltimore Orioles.

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