DL Hall finally makes it to home clubhouse

DL Hall sat at his locker yesterday and couldn’t draw a crowd. He wasn’t asking for one, but the solitude seemed a bit unusual considering that his major league debut came at Tropicana Field before the Orioles optioned him, and he returned to the majors this week while they were in Cleveland.

Hall hadn’t been inside the home clubhouse until yesterday. He came to the ballpark to sign his contract after the Orioles selected him in the first round of the 2017 draft, and he returned for an event inside the warehouse. That’s it.

The fuss over him sort of fizzling because the media was staking out Gunnar Henderson’s locker across the room. Baseball’s No. 1 prospect arriving in town after homering against the Guardians Wednesday for his first major league hit and singling twice in the series.

Henderson finally walked through the door and spent about six minutes fielding questions, the media arc thickened by multiple layers. Hall eventually got up and left the clubhouse, waiting to take a seat in the bullpen with the other relievers.

“It’s definitely a little bit different feeling than being on the road,” he said. “Being here in front of our home crowd, it’s going to be an unreal experience, something that, ever since I came here to sign my contract, it’s been my dream to get to play on this field, so I’m excited.

“It’s even better in person. Just to be here and be with this group of guys is unreal.”

The talent pipeline is creating a big splash on the major league roster. Henderson and Hall are sharing a clubhouse with catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers. Grayson Rodriguez’s rehab assignment moves to Double-A Bowie early next week and he has a chance to debut later this month.

“It’s awesome,” Hall said. “I’ve talked about it with Adley, Gunnar, Terrin (Vavra), Stowers, just how all of us played together for a couple years, and seeing each other in a big league clubhouse is everything you could have dreamed of.”

Henderson made two sensational plays at shortstop Thursday night and went 3-for-8 in his first two games, including a 429-foot home run for his first major league hit. He doubled twice last night, to right and left field, and got the final out by completing a 6-4-3 double play – his freakish arm strength again a sight to behold.

Teammates in the minors grew accustomed to Henderson’s toolsy ways.  

“He’s a kid who’s going to rise to the occasion,” Hall said. “No situation is too big for him. He’s a stud, so I expect nothing less from him.”

Henderson received a standing ovation last night before his first at-bat, and fans kept rising to their feet. His three-game hitting streak is the longest by an Orioles player to start his career since outfielder Joey Rickard hit in seven straight in 2016. He’s the youngest Oriole to collect two doubles in the same game since Manny Machado in 2013 in San Francisco.

Manager Brandon Hyde wants to temper expectations, but Henderson is making it quite difficult.

“He’s not making it difficult to put in the lineup,” Hyde said.

Henderson is expected to stay there tonight against Athletics right-hander Adam Oller. However, he probably won’t field for the infield cycle.

Henderson is the first rookie in Orioles history to start at three different positions in his first three major league games, according to STATS. He debuted at third base, moved to shortstop the following night and started at second base last night.

Hyde made it clear this week that first base would be the last of the four possibilities for Henderson, because the club has Ryan Mountcastle and Jesús Aguilar on the roster.

Of course, there’s always designated hitter if Hyde wants to extend the streak.

He doesn’t. It would happen for other reasons.

Six Orioles rookies played a different position in their first two starts, most recently Rutschman on May 21 and 23 at catcher and designated hitter. I know DH isn’t a “position,” but it counts here.

Also on the list is Josh Bell, who played third base and served as DH in July 2010. He went back to third base.

Alejandro Freier was the DH in his debut and played first base the next two days in August 2005. Luis Mercedes went right field, left field and left field in September 1991. David Segui was listed on the lineup card at first base, DH and first base in May 1990. And Roger Freed played right field, first base and first base in September 1970.

So close.

Three players have matched Henderson’s achievement this season –  the Yankees’ Oswaldo Cabrera (third base, shortstop, right field), the Guardians’ Tyler Freeman (third base, shortstop, second base), and the Phillies’ Bryson Stott (third base, shortstop, second base).