The Baltimore Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde on Saturday, hoping a new leader can spark a turnaround of the most disappointing team in Major League Baseball.
Hyde, who had managed the Orioles through the end of their rebuild and helped lead them to the past two postseasons, oversaw an underwhelming start in which Baltimore went 15-28 and find itself 10½ games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East division.
Third-base coach Tony Mansolino will take over as interim manager, according to the team, which also fired field coordinator Tim Cossins.
“As the head of baseball operations, the poor start to our season is ultimately my responsibility,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said in a statement. “Part of that responsibility is pursuing difficult changes in order to set a different course for the future. I want to thank Brandon for his hard work, dedication and passion all these years, and for returning the team to the playoffs and winning an AL East championship. His many positive contributions to this organization and to Baltimore will remain, and we wish he and his family the best.”
STATEMENT FROM THE ORIOLES pic.twitter.com/oDdvTO2b8W
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) May 17, 2025
With an underperforming offense, one of baseball’s worst pitching staffs and middling defense, the Orioles have regressed in every facet of the game this season. Hyde, 51, entered the season with questions about his long-term future after Baltimore was swept out of a wild-card series against Kansas City last year. In 2023, following a season in which they won an AL-best 101 games, the Orioles were swept by Texas in the division series.
Elias gave Hyde a vote of confidence in early May, only to see Baltimore lose 10 of its next 13 games, including the past four. Beyond shortstop Gunnar Henderson, center fielder Cedric Mullins and first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, the Orioles have received limited offensive help, and injuries to infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Colton Cowser tested their lineup.
The pitching in particular has been disastrous. With a thin rotation and injuries to right-handers Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin, the Orioles sport a 5.33 ERA, the worst in the AL and third worst in MLB. Following the loss of ace Corbin Burnes via free agency to Arizona, the Orioles did not sufficiently backfill their rotation, even as they guaranteed more than $100 million in free agency.
Baltimore entered the offseason with more money to spend under new owner David Rubenstein but have received limited return for it. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who received a three-year, $49.5 million deal, is hitting .188/.280/.325. Charlie Morton, who got $15 million for one year, is 0-7 with an 8.35 ERA. Catcher Gary Sanchez (one year, $8.5 million) has spent the last three weeks on the injured list, where reliever Andrew Kittredge (one year, $10 million) has been the entire season. Only right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, who signed for one year and $13 million, has been productive.
“As is sometimes the case in baseball, change becomes necessary,” Rubenstein said, “and we believe this is one of those moments.”
Hyde was hired in 2019, when the Orioles were in the second year of a teardown that saw them lose at least 108 games in three consecutive full seasons. The arrival of catcher Adley Rutschman and Henderson in 2022 turned around Baltimore’s fortunes. Their 101-win season, along with a promising core of position players, portended a bright future.
Baltimore stalled out in 2024, winning 91 games, and lost Burnes and slugger Anthony Santander to division rival Toronto. Although top prospect Jackson Holliday has shown signs of developing into a solid every-day regular, outfielder Heston Kjerstad and third baseman Coby Mayo have yet to find their big league footing.
Mansolino, 42, managed at four levels of the minor leagues before joining Cleveland’s coaching staff in 2019. The Orioles hired him as third-base coach before the 2021 season.
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