Gunnar Henderson's Scooby-Doo Bat

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles established himself as an MVP contender on July 14 after an outstanding first half that included him hitting his 28th home run of the year.

The eight players vying to win the 2024 Home Run Derby included the Orioles shortstop. Henderson has more home runs and a faster bat speed than any of his rivals this season, and a shortstop hasn't won the competition in twenty years.

Henderson unveiled the specialized gear he utilized in Texas before the Derby. MLB posted images of Henderson's "Scooby-Doo" bat on social media. It is orange and teal in color.

The Story Behind The Scooby-Doo Bat

On Monday night, Henderson launched home runs using a blue, orange, and green Scooby-Doo-themed bat. "Zoinks!" appears near the end of the bat, alluding to Shaggy's famous cartoon catchphrase.

The phrase "ruh-roh!" appears on the opposite side of the bat, alluding to Scooby-Doo's catchphrase. Henderson and Scooby-Doo are recognized to be related because of Henderson's exceptional Scooby-Doo imitation.

In June, the Orioles released a video where Henderson, a young All-Star, impersonated Scooby-Doo and Jar Jar Binks alongside teammates Adley Rutschman and Colton Cowser.

Henderson's Performance

Gunnar Henderson had a poor start. He used his timeout after only hitting four homers in his first 16 pitches. He then scored seven more during regulation, but during the bonus round, he could no longer score.

"It was undoubtedly an exhausting experience. My legs were shot after that timeout," said Henderson. "I'm happy I survived and reached double digits at least."

Henderson was rewarded for his 28 home runs this season—more than any other Derby participant and third most in MLB—by playing last in the first round, but the gap proved too great to overcome.

Henderson, a first-time All-Star who was the starter shortstop for the American League in Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic, will still remember the evening. Adley Rutchsman, Anthony Santander, Corbin Burnes, and Jordan Westburg, his teammates from Baltimore, were there with him.

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