The Baltimore Orioles are in freefall, and former manager Brandon Hyde paid the price for it, getting dismissed after failing to right the ship. General Manager Mike Elias made the move in hopes of sparking a turnaround or at least buying himself time by appointing Tony Mansolino as interim manager.
Mansolino, who’s been on the Orioles’ coaching staff since 2021, outlined a realistic but difficult goal: getting the team back to .500. From there, he believes a playoff push is still possible. But history isn’t on their side no Orioles team has ever come back from being 15 games below .500 to reach the postseason. The last comparable example was the 2005 Houston Astros, who had the same record at this point in the season and went on a run to the World Series.
For Baltimore to pull off something similar, they’ll need to win at an elite pace nearly .630 baseball the rest of the way. Even with an expanded playoff field now, there’s very little margin for error.
Despite that, it’s Mansolino’s job to aim high. This is a team that entered 2025 with championship hopes, and the new manager can’t just give up and look for moral victories. The emphasis remains on winning now, even if the odds seem remote.
That said, fans shouldn’t expect immediate, dramatic changes. The Orioles’ roster construction and on-field approach shaped by Elias isn’t going to shift overnight. Mansolino isn’t an outsider; he’s been part of the same staff for years, and the team’s core remains intact.
There won’t be a sudden wave of trades or prospect promotions. The Orioles aren’t entering rebuild mode yet. Most of the prospects seen as future contributors still need more time at Triple-A, and the trade deadline is still more than two months away.
Of course, if the team is still struggling by midseason, Baltimore could pivot toward a modest sell-off, dealing veterans like Cedric Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn, or Zach Eflin all of whom are on expiring contracts. But none are likely to bring in blockbuster returns.
Ultimately, the fate of the season and possibly the franchise’s direction rests on Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, and the rest of the core. These players were expected to power one of the league’s most dangerous lineups, capable of winning games through sheer offense, even if the pitching lagged behind.
A managerial change can’t make those hitters produce. If they continue underperforming, the Orioles will stay stuck and bigger changes could follow. No amount of speeches, off days, or new leadership will matter if the team’s stars don’t play like stars. The Orioles’ season and their future now hinges entirely on their core stepping up.
