It was a spectacular first full month of the season for the Baltimore Orioles. The O’s went 17-9 in the month of April, powered by an amazing offense. Baltimore was #1 in home runs, 4th in hits, 3rd in RBIs, and 5th in OPS. There were multiple stars throughout the month, but two young guys stole the show.
Gunnar Henderson won AL Player of the Month for April. Henderson hit .280 with 30 hits, nine homers, 20 RBIs and 22 runs scored in 26 games. It’s still very early, but you can make a case for Gunnar as the front runner for AL MVP when it’s all said and done. He’s made a significant jump from last season, as he hit just .197 with 14 hits and two home runs in April of 2023. This choice was a no-doubter since Henderson is the best offensive player on the best offensive team to start the season.
Colton Cowser won AL Rookie of the Month for April. Cowser hit .297 with 22 hits, six homers, 18 RBIs and 12 runs scored in 25 games. Cowser struggled a lot in his debut in 2023, but this success comes as no surprise to Orioles fans. Cowser tore it up in AAA at the end of last season and had a terrific start in spring training. Like Henderson, Cowser has taken a significant leap since last season. He hit just .115 with seven hits and four RBIs last year for Baltimore.
The season is still very young, but the Orioles could become the first team in history to sweep AL MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Cy Young. Gunnar currently has the second-best odds to win AL MVP behind Juan Soto. Cowser is the odds-on favorite to win ROY at +140 odds, and Corbin Burnes has the second-best odds to win AL Cy Young. It could be a season to remember for Orioles fans.
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