SARASOTA, Fla. — Opening day is less than two weeks away, and whether Gunnar Henderson will be playing shortstop and leading off for the Orioles is the biggest question facing the ballclub as spring training begins to wind down.

But if Henderson has his way, he’ll be in Toronto with his teammates March 27 to kick off another season.

“That’s my plan,” the superstar shortstop said in the Orioles’ clubhouse Saturday morning, his first time talking with local media since his injury in late February. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Henderson said that he’s on the “right track” as he recovers from a ribs muscle strain that’s sidelined him for the past two weeks.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “Been swinging, taking ground balls and stuff.”

The confidence from Henderson is more positive news after he resumed baseball activities Tuesday. The 23-year-old is progressing through a hitting program and has started fielding ground balls at shortstop. All his swings so far have come in the batting cage, not against live pitching.

He’s aiming to play in Grapefruit League games near the end of spring training to get a few plate appearances before having to do the real thing March 27 against the Blue Jays. The Orioles can also expedite the process by having Henderson take at-bats against live pitching on the backfields at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

“I’m going out there to try to do whatever I can to make it to opening day,” Henderson said.

Henderson suffered the injury during a game Feb. 27 when he made a leaping catch of a line drive at shortstop. He was removed from the game and hasn’t played since, receiving only six plate appearances this spring. The injury designation from the team is a strain of his right intercostal, the muscles that run between the ribs.

“My body was just in a weird, awkward position whenever I caught the ball and I landed on it weird,” Henderson said. “Yeah, it didn’t feel great.”

Last spring, Henderson missed time with a minor left oblique injury, but he said recovering from this ailment has been different.

“This one is kind of lingering,” he said. “It’s getting there.”

Manager Brandon Hyde has said that Henderson’s status for opening day remains up in the air. With only 12 days until the opener in Toronto, it could be difficult for Henderson to heal up and receive the playing time necessary to be ready in time. If he starts the season on the 10-day injured list, he will have to miss the first nine games of the season.

“We’re all hopeful that he’ll be ready,” Hyde said. “It’s just going to depend on how many at-bats he gets, how this thing reacts after the game with soreness. He still hasn’t had any game action, so making athletic plays at shortstop to swinging really aggressively, we’ve got to check all those boxes before.”

Hyde said the Orioles will err on the side of caution with Henderson to lower the risk of re-injury.

“It’s definitely something we don’t want to linger into the season and throughout the season,” the skipper said. “You want to make sure that’s free and clear. He’s so important to us. We want to make sure he’s right and he’s not playing through any sort of injury or soreness the first part of the season.”

Missing Henderson, who finished fourth in American League Most Valuable Player Award voting last season, would be a massive loss for the Orioles’ offense, but it also creates a question mark defensively at shortstop. Jackson Holliday appears to be the likely option to play there in Henderson’s stead, as Hyde has moved the 21-year-old over to his natural position to prepare him in case he’s needed there. Shortstop Livan Soto, a nonroster invitee, could make the opening day roster if Henderson begins the year on the IL. And Jorge Mateo, who is making his way back from left elbow surgery, is still an option, though Hyde said it’s “pretty doubtful” the speedster will be ready for opening day.

Henderson is hoping these contingency plans aren’t needed.

Around the horn

Hyde said that infielder Ramón Urías has been out the past few days with a sore hamstring. Urías is feeling better and practiced in full Saturday. “Nothing to be concerned about,” Hyde said. “He should be back in a couple days.”

Hyde is close to determining who will be the Orioles’ Nos. 2 through 4 starters between Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano and Dean Kremer. The competition between Cade Povich and Albert Suárez for the fifth spot remains a tight one, Hyde said.

The Orioles took their B team to Bradenton on Saturday to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and lost 15-5. Dylan Carlson hit a leadoff home run, while Coby Mayo continued his strong week with a 2-for-3 day. Gregory Soto and Keegan Akin both pitched scoreless innings, but Seranthony Domínguez’s spring struggles continued by allowing five base runners and three runs while recording only two outs. Domínguez, the Orioles’ closer for the final two months of last season, has a 23.14 ERA and 4.07 WHIP in five outings this spring.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Calvin Meyer at jameyer@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/JCalvinMeyer.