The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly close to hiring their next manager, and he could be the right man for the underperforming club.
On Sunday evening, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan reported that the Orioles are finalizing a deal to hire Craig Albernaz as their next manager. The 42-year-old coach served as coach Associate manager of Cleveland Guardians this season. He previously served as catcher and bullpen coach for the San Francisco Giants from 2020 to 2023.
Why Craig Albernaz could help the Orioles get back on track
Albernaz will replace manager Brandon Hyde. During the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he won an American League East title and went 191-132 in the regular season.
The Orioles fired Hyde in May after a 15-28 start. The club continued to collapse under interim Tony Mansolino. It went 75-87 and finished last in the AL East.
However, the Orioles could be a rebound candidate in 2026. They have young stars like 24-year-old shortstop Gunnar Henderson and 27-year-old catcher Adley Rutschman. Both made the All-Star Game during the 2024 season.
To help them recover, the Orioles need a manager who knows how to get the best out of his players. Albernaz might fit that description. Passan noted that his “ability to connect with players was a hallmark of his time in San Francisco and Cleveland.”
The Guardians almost hired Albernaz in 2023. Cleveland hired manager Stephen Vogt instead. Albernaz remained a key member of the coaching staff, which has built one of baseball’s best organizations over the past two seasons.
The Guardians have won back-to-back AL Central titles and reached the American League Championship Series in the 2024 season. In 2025, Cleveland trailed the Detroit Tigers by 15.5 games in July, but still came back to win the division.
The Orioles still have a lot of work to do, especially in what is arguably baseball’s best division. The AL East features the Toronto Blue Jays, who will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The New York Yankees, meanwhile, made it to the Fall Classic last season, losing to the Dodgers in five games.
Albernaz’s hiring should still give Baltimore fans plenty of optimism. If he can connect with the Orioles’ core pieces, they could be in for a quick turnaround.
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