News Summary
The Baltimore Orioles are close to hiring Craig Albernaz as their new manager, aiming to revitalize a team that finished last in the American League East. Albernaz has a successful track record with the Cleveland Guardians, where he guided the team to back-to-back American League Central Championships. He succeeds Brandon Hyde, who was let go after the 2025 season. With a promising core of young players, the Orioles hope that Albernaz can address their challenges and lead them back to postseason contention.
Baltimore – The Baltimore Orioles are nearing a deal to hire Craig Albernaz as their new manager, according to a confirmed source. This decision comes as the Orioles aim to revitalize their struggling team that recently finished last in the American League East.
Albernaz, currently 42 and set to turn 43 this week, has served on the coaching staff of the Cleveland Guardians over the past two seasons. He has shown promise as a managerial candidate, garnering attention in the MLB despite his limited experience. Last offseason, he was a finalist for managerial positions with the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins, but opted to remain with the Guardians.
His coaching tenure with the Guardians has been marked by success, leading the team to clinch the American League Central Championship in both 2023 and 2024. The Guardians achieved a record of 92-69 in 2024, advancing to the American League Championship Series, and followed up with an 88-74 record in 2025, though they faced elimination in the American League Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers.
Albernaz’s prior managerial experience includes leading Single-A Hudson Valley in the Tampa Bay Rays Minor League system in 2017 and Single-A Bowling Green in 2018. He transitioned to a coaching role with the San Francisco Giants from 2020 to 2023, where he worked as the bullpen and catching coach.
In his new position, Albernaz faces the difficult task of turning around an Orioles team that concluded the 2025 season with a 75-87 record, ultimately resulting in the firing of previous manager Brandon Hyde in May 2025. Following Hyde’s departure, Tony Mansolino took over as interim manager, delivering a 60-59 record for the remainder of the season.
Under the leadership of general manager Mike Elias, Albernaz will become the second manager hired since Elias’s appointment in November 2018. The Orioles are under pressure to return to postseason contention after making back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024, despite not securing a playoff win during Hyde’s tenure.
The Orioles are equipped with a promising core of young players, including Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Jackson Holliday, and are looking to capitalize on this talent for a quick turnaround in 2026. However, they will need to address their limited pitching depth while some players recover from injuries.
With Albernaz’s anticipated hiring, the number of managerial vacancies across Major League Baseball now stands at five teams, including the San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, and Minnesota Twins.
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Author: STAFF HERE INDIANAPOLIS WRITER
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