On the morning of the Preakness Stakes three years ago, the Orioles promoted No. 1 prospect Adley Rutschman, symbolizing the end of their long rebuild and the start of their climb to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024.
On Saturday, a last-place club in total disarray fired manager Brandon Hyde after a disastrous 15-28 start. Major league field coordinator and catching Instructor Tim Cossins — Hyde’s longtime friend and close confidant — was also relieved of his duties. The 51-year-old Hyde had served as manager since 2019, going 421-492 in seven seasons.
Third base coach Tony Mansolino will serve as interim manager with Robinson Chirinos remaining as bench coach.
“The poor start to our season is ultimately my responsibility,” executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said in a statement released by the team. “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.”
Even after Elias’ widely panned offseason — that’s only looking worse over time — that included several underwhelming signings and the free-agent departures of ace pitcher Corbin Burnes and All-Star outfielder Anthony Santander, expectations remained high for 2025, but the Orioles entered Saturday ranked 27th in the majors in runs allowed per game (5.44) and 25th in runs scored per game (3.70). Futility in every phase of the game has resulted in just three series wins and no winning streaks longer than two games all season. And while the pitching was expected to be the club’s weakness, the poor performance of the offense has easily been a greater disappointment relative to high expectations.
Adding to the urgency to make a change was the Orioles finishing 42-46 last season after starting a red-hot 49-25. The club still managed to secure the top wild-card berth, but being swept in the playoffs for the second straight October left fans frustrated with some beginning to question the club’s direction both on the field and in the front office.
Perhaps most indicative of the need to change the primary voice in the dugout were the frequent lapses in focus and sloppy play from the start of the 2025 season, which were a poor reflection on Hyde and the coaching staff when players should be at their sharpest coming out of spring training. Friday’s 4-3 loss to Washington epitomized those problems as multiple mental mistakes and a season-worst 15 runners left on base contributed to the Orioles’ fourth straight defeat and 10th in 12 games.
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Hyde said Friday’s defeat left him “kind of in disbelief, honestly.”
That statement might as well summarize the 2025 season to date.
With Hyde being dismissed, the heat will now fall squarely on the shoulders of Elias, who must get Baltimore’s young core of positions players back on track and make the necessary roster and coaching changes to ensure these 2025 woes don’t bleed into next season. Otherwise, the manager will only be the first notable change in the coming months.
Hyde guided the club through multiple rebuilding seasons until the Orioles finally turned the corner midway through the 2022 campaign to finish 83-79. The following year marked their best regular season since 1979 when they finished 101-61 and won the AL East for just the third time since their last World Series championship in 1983. That resulted in Hyde being voted 2023 AL Manager of the Year, an impressive feat for someone regarded as little more than a caretaker when initially hired. Field managers hired to oversee a rebuilding club rarely make it to the other side to contend.
“Brandon Hyde is someone I have come to know and deeply admire, not only for his extensive knowledge of baseball, but also for his exceptional leadership as a manager,” second-year principal owner David Rubenstein said in a statement. “I am sincerely grateful for his significant accomplishments over the past six years, which have greatly benefited both the Orioles and the city of Baltimore.
“However, as is sometimes the case in baseball, change becomes necessary, and we believe this is one of those moments.”
The symbolic face of the rebuild after being selected first overall in the 2019 amateur draft, Rutschman has experienced his own alarming decline coinciding with the Orioles’ fall after finishing second in 2022 AL Rookie of the Year and being a two-time All-Star catcher in his first two full seasons. Dating back to July 1 of last season, the 27-year-old owns a .201/.289/.308 slash line over his last 446 plate appearances, transforming him from a fringe MVP into a replacement-level catcher.
