Orioles announced that manager Brandon Hyde has been fired. Third base coach Tony Mansolino will be interim manager, while the coaching staff will be further shocked as Major League Baseball coordinator and catch-up coach Tim Cossins are also released.
“Brandon Hyde is someone I know and admire deeply, not only because of his extensive knowledge of baseball, but also because of his outstanding leadership as a manager,” Oriole owner David Rubenstein said in the club’s official media statement.I am deeply grateful for his significant achievements over the past six years, which greatly benefited the Orioles and the City of Baltimore. But, as baseball sometimes, change is necessary, and we think it is one of them. The Orioles have a great appreciation for everything Brandon has contributed during his tenure and we hope he has not succeeded in any path he has chosen the next choice in baseball. Brandon is a great man and we thank him for his dedication and wish him all the best in his future efforts. ”
Today's news seems hard to meet two months ago, and when O enters the 2025 season again, it looks like a strong contender, making it to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Unfortunately, Baltimore is probably the biggest disappointment in baseball this year, as the team stumbled on a 15-28 record. Among the four teams that won 15 or less this season, three have changed managers as Hyde's sack came after the Buccaneers fired Derek Shelton and Rockies shot Bud Black's heels.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias acknowledged his role in the team’s struggles and noted in a press release “As the head of baseball action, it was ultimately my responsibility to have a bad start to our season. Part of this responsibility is pursuing difficult changes in order to set different courses for the future. Over the years, I want to thank Brandon for his hard work, dedication and enthusiasm and for returning the team to the playoffs and winning the AL East title. Many of his positive contributions to the organization and Baltimore will be retained and we hope he and his family can do the best. ”
Shortly after Mike Elias was hired as the club's new general manager, Hyde was initially hired as captain of the Orioles in the 2018-19 offseason. The two became the face of a multi-year reconstruction project that won an amazing early return to competitive baseball in Baltimore in 2022 with a record of 83-79 in 2022. That victory season was the victory season for the Orioles' Al East Title and 101 Win campaign, and ran for Hy the Shy in 2023 and became the SHY campaign in 2023. In 2024, this huge season took place with 91 wins and wildcard berths.
However, none of these playoff trips resulted in a win, let alone a series win. Even before the 2024 Wildcard series swept O's Royals, some cracks were shown in the foundation in Baltimore – the club only scored a 33-33 record after the All-Star break, compared to a 58-38 record in the first half. Nevertheless, the core and offseason expectations at the Orioles are that Rubenstein (in his first offseason, as the club’s owner) will be open to increase salary to enhance the help of pitching, i.e. as the last part of the puzzle.
Instead, the Orioles spend more modestly, and their main pitching is a year-long investment Tomoyuki Sugano (He is the first time to come to MLB after a long career in Japan) and a long-term veteran Charlie Morton. Despite Sugano's good performance, Morton's disastrous performance allowed him to rotate jobs, which added to a series of struggles in Baltimore's rotation. In most major statistical categories, both in rotation and in bullpen, injured and underperforming pitchers ranked or near the bottom of the league in most major statistical categories.
The more disturbing results have some offensive aspects as each member of the roster takes a step back from the 2024 figures. lose Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser Injury doesn't help. Gunnar Henderson I also spent time on IL at the beginning of the year. However, the health dilemma does not explain why Adley RutschmanProduction has fallen off the cliff since mid-2024, or why Ryan Mountcastle Or increase during offseason Taylor O'Neill Low-standard numbers have also been released.
Of course, this is Hyde's direct fault is an open question, because obviously Hyde is not the one who adds or doesn't add the necessary work to the roster. It is also fair to assume that both Hyde and the front desk made the decision on playing time (i.e., how many young stars are putting young budding stars into the lineup), not just the captain himself.
Still, there have been several changes in Baltimore’s coaching staff since last season, suggesting that senior managers believe that even if Hyde’s job seems safe, the upper management needs to make some changes. And, given the high expectations and depth of the Orioles’ cruel start, Rubenstein, Elias and Company may feel the need to be managed as soon as possible rather than early to see what O may be able to snatch out from the season.
The situation put some extra pressure on Mansorino as the 42-year-old was in his first mission as a manager at the major league level. Mansolino has several years of management experience at multiple levels of the farm system in Cleveland, which led to temporary jobs for the major league third base coach in 2020, as club staff were driven away due to sick leave from manager Terry Francona. The 2020 campaign proved to be Mansorino's last game in Cleveland as he was hired by the Orioles as the team's new third base coach.
If Mansorino can make O be turned around, he will provide himself with a great reason as the team's next full-time manager enters 2026. Perhaps more than the question surrounding management situation than what today’s news means to Elias, who has the potential to be in trouble in the window of fierce competition now in the Orioleles. In some ways, firing an architect is still a strong talent core on paper than firing Hyde, although it is worth noting that Rubinstein himself did not hire Elias.
Hyde completed his tenure with a record of 421-492 in parts of seven seasons. He will leave Baltimore with Baltimore, Cossins, which today Bob Nightengale in the United States describes as a close friend of the former captain. Cossins has been an Orioles staff member for Hyde's entire tenure, and the two worked together in the Bears before joining the Orioles in the 2018-19 offseason.
Photo courtesy of Mitch Stringer/Imagn
