If the Orioles had one elite trait over the course of an uninspiring 2026 season, it was doing just enough to keep you from dismissing them completely in an underwhelming American League.
But that came to an end Thursday with the Chicago White Sox winning in Kansas City to officially eliminate Baltimore from postseason contention. Despite high expectations, a low bar for the AL’s final wild-card spot, and a herculean effort from slugger Pete Alonso, the Orioles have now missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, leaving the organization at a crossroads complicated by an offseason very likely to include a contentious — and potentially lengthy — lockout.
Only a sweep over the playoff-bound New York Yankees in the Bronx this weekend will save Baltimore (78-81) from a second straight losing season.
Fan disenchantment peaked with a season-worst six-game losing streak to start September immediately after the Orioles had reached the .500 mark for the first time since April 30. Of course, that collapse — which included a brutal series loss in Colorado and a four-game home sweep to Boston — was just one of several examples of the club failing to sustain any kind of meaningful success over the course of 2026.
Where do the Orioles go from here with a much-hyped young position core largely regarded as a bust?
President of baseball operations Mike Elias said last weekend that it’s his “assumption” that he’ll remain in charge, which would also mean the return of manager Craig Albernaz for the 2027 season. For what it’s worth, control owner David Rubenstein said in late July that he “couldn’t be more pleased” with Elias, chalking up the club’s shortcomings over the last two seasons mostly to injuries.
The organization recently parted ways with vice president of player and staff development Matt Blood and reassigned assistant general manager Sig Mejdal, who will transition from being in charge of the analytics department to overseeing research of technology and innovation. It remains to be seen whether more drastic changes will come, but Elias expressed interest in adding outside perspectives to a baseball operations department seemingly stuck in the mud.
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After owning one of baseball’s best records over two calendar years that included a 101-win season and AL East championship in 2023, the Orioles have gone 191-208 since July 1, 2024. That translates to just under a 78-win pace over a 162-game season.
Why Orioles fans should have confidence in Elias to reverse this multiyear decline and why he’s deserving of that opportunity after eight full years in charge of a vision that’s largely crumbled are questions only ownership can answer.
