Midday Mailbag: Why do the Orioles bat Gunnar Henderson leadoff?

Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.

Question:  Why does Brandon Hyde continue to bat Gunnar Henderson leadoff when he is tied for MLB lead in homers? Henderson should be batting third or fourth and Jordan Westburg, who has highest OBP on the team, should bat leadoff. Change will allow Henderson to drive in more runs. From: Stuart Arnovits, Timonium

Answer: Stuart, Henderson actually has a higher on-base percentage (.356) than Westburg (.351) and Henderson has many more walks than Westburg. Hyde has batted Westburg leadoff twice, and likes him there, too.

Out of 13 position players, five are left-handed hitters, and two are switch-hitters, and it seems Hyde doesn’t want to have three of his pure left-handers batting in succession. This way, he’s able to mix in his two switch-hitters, Adley Rutschman and Anthony Santander, near the top of the order and not be as vulnerable to late-inning left-handed relievers.

Question: Could you explain the variables involved in MLB salaries.  What is the minimum?  What is the daily average salary for a player called up for a period of time and then sent back down?  From: Alan Pillow, Glen Allen, Virginia 

Answer: Alan, the minimum salary in Major League Baseball is $740,000 this season. There are 186 days in the 2024 season, so the daily salary is $3,978.49 for a player called up from the minors.