As Mike Elias and the 29 other teams’ top baseball executives converged on Las Vegas for the annual general manager meetings this week, the Orioles were already busy between hiring a new manager, swinging the first MLB trade of the winter and reshuffling the fringes of their 40-man roster. A nontender decision or two aside, the next moves they make will be acquisitions aimed at improving their chances of competing for the playoffs in 2026. 

No area of the roster will be more important for Baltimore to get right than the lineup, which was the driving force behind its postseason appearances in 2023 and 2024. The Orioles’ offense took a step back last season because of both regression for several of their young stars and injuries that kept the lineup from ever operating at full strength. 

“All of us in the org, there’s a lot of soul searching and looking in the mirror individually what could each of us have done better to get a better result for the team, and that definitely applies to those guys,” said Elias, the Orioles’ president of baseball operations, at his end-of-season news conference in September. “We’ve talked about it, we’re formulating plans and we’re going to do everything that we can to have them bounce back and get back on track.” 

While every position on the diamond is already spoken for in one way or another, the Orioles could stand to upgrade their lineup in free agency after clearing ample payroll space the past few months. Here’s a look at some of the top hitters available on the market and how they might fit in Baltimore. 

(Players who have been extended a qualifying offer are marked with an asterisk. Ages listed are how old players will be on opening day next season) 

*OF Kyle Tucker, 29 

The clear No. 1 free agent available this winter is Tucker, a reliable corner outfielder who has been a safe bet for 20 to 30 home runs and an OPS north of .800 every year since 2021. While he’s not be the headliner Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani were in recent offseasons, Tucker is likely to command a contract at least a decade long with a $300 million floor. 

Baltimore has never shopped in this high of a tier before, breaking nine figures only once to sign Chris Davis to his now-infamous $161 million deal. But this offseason also serves as a test for second-year owner David Rubenstein, who has twice said in the past nine months he has “no financial limit” when it comes to upgrading the roster. 

If the Orioles do get serious about spending, Tucker is a hitter worth moving other players around to fit onto the roster. His addition would shift Tyler O’Neill over to left field and cement Colton Cowser in center, a spot where Baltimore tested him out down the stretch. 

The outfield defense would suffer — Cowser has been much better in left — and an already lefty-heavy lineup skew even more in that direction, but would that matter if it meant sandwiching Tucker’s bat between Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman at the top of the lineup? Probably not. 

Grade the fit: B- 

*DH Kyle Schwarber, 33

Another game-changing bat, Schwarber is one of the premiere power hitters in the sport. His 324 home runs since 2017 trails only Aaron Judge (364) and he’s developed a reputation as a veteran leader whose ample postseason experience would go a long way in the Orioles’ young clubhouse. If those were the only factors, he would be a perfect fit. 

However, Schwarber has played almost exclusively at designated hitter, and for good reason — he accumulated minus-34 defensive runs saved over his last two years as a regular in the outfield between 2022 and 2023. The Orioles are pretty clogged at DH, where catchers Rutschman and Samuel Basallo are expected to see ample time in addition to the injury-plagued O’Neill. He also still doesn’t solve their need for a right-handed hitter.

It would be nice to dream about Schwarber tattooing Eutaw Street with new home run plaques the next few years, but that’s about the only way he makes sense for Baltimore. 

Grade the fit: C- 

OF/1B Cody Bellinger, 30

If you’re sensing a trend of left-handed hitters, that’s because this year’s outfield market is almost exclusively filled with them. Bellinger returns to free agency after opting out of the final year of contract with the New York Yankees, with whom he hit .272 with 29 homers and an .813 OPS last season. The former National League Most Valuable Player Award winner will be seeking a long-term deal that will take him into his mid-to-late 30s.

Bellinger’s career has been something of a yo-yo, ricocheting between MVP-caliber seasons and below-average ones. He’s been a productive player each of the past three years with a steady on-base percentage, but signing him does come with some risk that he’ll crater back down again. 

Even so, Bellinger is a prolific hitter when at his best and he comes with the added bonus of playing strong defense at both center field and first base. He would be the perfectly shaped puzzle piece that fits into the Orioles’ first base/DH picture of Rutschman, Basallo and Coby Mayo while taking over at the club’s only true hole of center field.

Bellinger’s presence would allow Cowser to remain in left and provide insurance for the event O’Neill gets injured again, with rookie Dylan Beavers and glove-first outfielder Leody Taveras factoring into the mix. He also doesn’t have the qualifying offer attached, a significant factor for an organization that prizes draft capital like Baltimore.

If the Orioles are going to spend big on a bat, Bellinger might be their best option.

Grade the fit: A 

*CF Trent Grisham, 29

A year ago, Grishman’s value was entirely built around his defense in center field. Then he went out in 2025 and set career highs in home runs (34), RBIs (74) and OPS (.811) to earn a qualifying offer from the Yankees. Assuming he declines it, Grisham will present one of the more interesting cases in free agency as a player coming off his breakout season. 

The two-time Gold Glove Award winner would be an upgrade in center field, though advanced metrics didn’t love his 2025 season compared to years past. Still, a multi-year deal for Grisham would entrench Cowser in left and relegate Beavers to a fourth outfielder who spells O’Neill a couple of times a week. 

Yet another left-handed bat, Grisham had dramatic platoon splits last season (.869 OPS vs. righties, .652 vs. lefties) and his sprint speed has declined each of the past three years. His addition would carry more risk of negative value than even Bellinger, but Grisham’s cost is likely to be much lower and more in line with the Orioles’ history of spending. 

Grade the fit: B 

1B Pete Alonso, 31

Finally, a right-handed hitter! Alonso is one of the top bats on the market for the second winter in a row after settling for a one-year, $30 million deal with the New York Mets last offseason. He made good on that contract with an Alonso-esque year, launching 38 home runs and leading the NL with 41 doubles. 

Now, he’s back and looking for a long-term fix this time. The Orioles might not appear to be the best fit because of Mayo, one of their most recently graduated top prospects who’s under team control through 2031. Investing in Alonso would effectively block the corner infielder from ever seeing the field — and the aforementioned DH offers slim playing time. 

Mayo finished the season strong with an impressive .941 OPS in September, but he’s otherwise struggled to produce consistently thus far in his young MLB career. The Orioles found out in 2025 what could happen if they construct the majority of their lineup around young players they hope will take a step forward. Alonso is a proven power hitter, playoff performer and vocal leader. He checks a lot of boxes for Baltimore. 

Grade the fit: A- 

Other top free agent hitters 

• Is SS Bo Bichette, 29, willing to play second base? Just about the only way he fits in the Orioles’ lineup is if he shifts to second and Jackson Holliday tries his hand at the outfield.

• There’s no hole that UTIL Willi Castro, 28, can’t fill. The veteran utility man struggled with the Chicago Cubs after being traded at the deadline but was an above-average hitter for two and a half years for the Minnesota Twins before that. He could fill the Ramón Urías role while also offering more upside as an everyday player if injuries strike again.

• A reunion with OF Austin Hays, 30, could sense for the righty-depraved Orioles, who never quite filled the hole he left behind when they traded him in 2024. Hays was effective when healthy last season and might benefit from a prove-it, one-year deal.

• The same goes for OF Lane Thomas, 30, who struggled mightily for the Cleveland Guardians last year but has a history of crushing left-handed pitching.

• The top two hitters being posted by Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball this offseason are corner infielders in 3B/1B Munetaka Murakami, 26, and 3B/1B Kazuma Okamoto, 29. Murakami is younger and a more prolific power hitter while Okamoto plays better defense and strikes out much less. Both would likely play first in Baltimore.

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich. 

Bourgeois, 43, spent the past two years as first base coach and outfield coach of the Chicago White Sox before parting ways with the organization at the end of the season. He was teammates with Orioles’ incoming manager Craig Albernaz at Triple-A Durham in 2013 and appeared in part of eight MLB seasons, stealing 54 bases in 317 games. 

The 2000 second-round pick of the Texas Rangers joins expected hitting coach Dustin Lind as the first known coaches to join Albernaz’s staff. Bourgeois replaces longtime first base coach Anthony Sanders, who departed the organization this offseason to join the Detroit Tigers in the same capacity after six years in Baltimore. 

Both Bourgeois and Lind had ties to Albernaz, whom the Orioles hired to help bounce back from a disappointing 75-87 campaign in 2025. 

After making his MLB debut in 2008, Bourgeois spent most of his playing career moving up and down between the majors and Triple-A. He played all outfield positions as a bench player, slashing .253/.300/.326 across stints with the White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. 

Bourgeois retired from playing in 2019 and joined the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor league coaching ranks, working his way up to minor league outfield and base running coordinator. He held that position for three years until the White Sox hired him to their major league staff under then-skipper Pedro Grifol. The White Sox kept him on for 2025 despite changing managers but parted ways with several coaches, including Bourgeois, after the club lost 100-plus games for the third straight season.

As the first base coach in Baltimore, Bourgeois will work frequently with shortstop Gunnar Henderson (30 stolen bases last season), second baseman Jackson Holliday (17) and outfielder Colton Cowser (14), among others, to get the most out of their base running. Cowser and top prospect Dylan Beavers will be among those whose defense in the outfield will be major points of emphasis for the team entering 2026.

The Baltimore Banner was first to report the Orioles were expected to hire Bourgeois. 

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.

The Orioles are changing the titles and roles of six front office members, a source with direct knowledge of the moves confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Saturday, including a promotion to assistant general manager and a new point man leading their MLB draft. 

Matt Blood, the Orioles’ vice president overseeing player development and domestic scouting since October 2023, is shifting to vice president of player and staff development. He will now be responsible for overseeing front office support of first-year manager Craig Albernaz, his staff and the sports medicine and performance departments. 

The Orioles are also promoting Brendan Fournie to assistant GM, adding a third person in that role under president of baseball operations Mike Elias alongside Sig Mejdal and Eve Rosenbaum. 

Fournie has overseen the Orioles’ baseball analytics department since December 2021, when he was hired away from the Houston Astros. In his new role, Fournie will focus on baseball economics, advanced scouting and salary arbitration while assisting with roster and transaction management. 

Baltimore still has a vacancy at GM since promoting Elias last spring. He has continued to oversee day-to-day GM duties in the meantime and said during his end-of-season news conference in September that a hire “may be this offseason, it may not be.” 

With Blood no longer overseeing the draft, that responsibility will now fall upon Will Robertson. The Orioles’ director of pro personnel is being promoted to vice president of domestic scouting. Robertson, a 30th-round draft pick of Baltimore in 2017, has been working his way up the Orioles’ front office since retiring from playing in 2020. 

The Orioles are also promoting three scouting managers to larger roles. Chad Tatum will be named assistant director of domestic scouting, Hendrik Herz will take over as assistant director of draft operations and Kevin Carter will be their assistant director of pro scouting. 

MASNSports.com was first to report the front offices changes. 

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.

The Orioles are hiring Dustin Lind as hitting coach, a source with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Friday. Lind was an assistant hitting coach with the Philadelphia Phillies the past two seasons and overlapped with Albernaz on the San Francisco Giants during his four-year stint as an assistant on their hitting staff. 

The 36-year-old is the first coach to be solidified onto Albernaz’s staff since Baltimore hired the first-year manager last month. The club already parted ways with its three hitting coaches — Cody Asche, Sherman Johnson and Tommy Joseph — as well as bench coach Robinson Chirinos and first base coach Anthony Sanders. Interim manager Tony Mansolino also departed Friday, joining the Atlanta Braves as third base coach.

Lind, who carries a reputation for preaching strong plate discipline, worked under Donnie Ecker in San Francisco and Kevin Long in Philadelphia — both of whom have won World Series titles as well-traveled coaches with hitting backgrounds. In replacing Asche as the Orioles’ lead hitting coach, he takes over for a coach he mentored in the minors. 

Lind never played professionally, carving out a college career at Montana State University-Billings and Idaho State University before getting into coaching. Lind was as an independent hitting consultant until 2018 when the Seattle Mariners hired him as their minor league quality assurance coach.

The Orioles ranked 24th in MLB with 677 runs scored last season after finishing among the league’s top seven each of the previous two years.

“If you watch the game of baseball, you have to have a diverse offense,” Albernaz said of his offensive philosophy at his introductory news conference Tuesday. “I think anyone would want any of their teams to go out and hit 10 home runs a night. You can sign me up for that. But like I said, it’s a hard game.

“We have to do the little things right. When guys are struggling or going through a little rut, you have to find a way to keep the line moving and be productive for your team and for the organization. That’s something we’re going to preach, about just being a more diverse offense, and so we’re going to have a number of ways to beat you.”

BaltimoreBaseball.com was first to report the news of Lind’s hire.

Around the horn

• The qualify offer deadline passed Friday and the Orioles didn’t extend the one-year, $22.025 million deal to any of their pending free agents, as expected. Infielder Jorge Mateo and outfielder Dylan Carlson joined right-hander Zach Eflin, catcher Gary Sánchez and right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano in electing free agency.

• Baltimore officially picked up its team option for the recently reacquired Andrew Kittredge on Friday, guaranteeing the veteran reliever $9 million for 2026. The club also added right-hander Anthony Nunez to its 40-man roster, protecting him from selection in the Rule 5 draft next month.

• The Orioles continued their busy Friday on the transaction wire by claiming outfielder Pedro León from Houston Astros and designating left-hander Josh Walker for assignment. They lost right-hander José Castillo on waivers to the New York Mets but outfielder Daniel Johnson and right-hander Shawn Dubin both cleared and were outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.

The Orioles’ president of baseball operations on Tuesday helped introduce Craig Albernaz as the ballclub’s new manager. A coaching staff still needs to be assembled, but the most important part of Elias’ offseason will begin Thursday.

At 5 p.m., MLB’s free agency will open. Coming off a disappointing 75-87 campaign, the Orioles are in need of significant upgrades this winter. With about 100 days until spring training begins, The Baltimore Sun’s Orioles beat reporters Jacob Calvin Meyer and Matt Weyrich answer the most pressing questions facing the team this offseason.

What is the most important roster hole the Orioles must address this offseason?

Meyer: There isn’t a wrong answer to this question. Want to say it’s the bullpen? That’s fair considering the team needs a closer and perhaps several other relievers. Want to say it’s adding an impact, veteran bat? That’s hard to argue with after the young core regressed in 2025. Want to say it’s adding to the starting rotation? Well, after how 2025 went, of course it is. The answer to this question is perhaps all three, but it’s the rotation that’s most important.

Kyle Gibson was the club’s No. 1 starter to begin 2023. Albert Suárez finished second in innings pitched in 2024. And the first half of 2025 was a disaster for the rotation. The rotation already has Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers. About $70 million in payroll came off the books. And there are ample options on the market. It is past time that the Orioles build a deep and dominant rotation that matches the goals the organization has, and that is more achievable this winter now than ever.

Weyrich: The Orioles have needs in both the rotation and lineup, but the lack of a shutdown reliever to anchor the back end of the bullpen is particularly glaring. Félix Bautista can’t be counted on for much in 2026 and what he gives them beyond next season is in doubt as well after undergoing his second major surgery in three years. Baltimore has been in the position before, signing Craig Kimbrel to be a stopgap closer while Bautista was recovering from Tommy John surgery. But the Orioles could stand to acquire a high-leverage reliever with multiple years of team control this time, giving them a boost in their playoff push for 2026 and security in case Bautista doesn’t return to form. 

Do you see the Orioles making a bigger splash in free agency or the trade market?

Meyer: This all depends on your definition of “splash.” By what most would consider a splash, Elias has made only one during his time as general manager: trading for ace Corbin Burnes before the 2024 season. But he’s yet to make one in free agency. Would a frustrated fan base appreciate Elias (and more so owner David Rubenstein) if they hand out a nine-figure contract to an ace or a power bat? Of course. But that alone isn’t a guarantee the Orioles will bounce back in 2026. Instead, the offseason should be judged by the totality of what the front office does. What’s more important than making splashes is acquiring players who definitively bolster the ballclub, rather than marginal moves around the edges like last offseason.

Weyrich: The Orioles have the means to spend this offseason after clearing their payroll of several high-priced veterans including Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano and Gary Sánchez. However, they’ve also restocked their farm system after acquiring 16 prospects at the trade deadline and making seven top-100 picks in this year’s MLB draft. While I do expect them to spend this winter to address their myriad roster holes, I think it’s more likely that money is spread around. The biggest move they make will probably be for a starting pitcher and the trade market is ripe with potential front-line options including Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Sonny Gray, MacKenzie Gore, Joe Ryan and Mitch Keller.

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is rumored to be available. How aggressive of an offer should the Orioles make Detroit?

Meyer: There is no reason for the Orioles to be anything other than aggressive in pursuit of Skubal, who would instantly give the Orioles one of the best rotations in baseball. But the Orioles’ offer almost certainly won’t be enough. Perhaps no team will meet the Tigers’ asking price and the soon-to-be back-to-back American League Cy Young will remain in Detroit. Baltimore’s farm system has depth, but (assuming Jackson Holliday and Samuel Basallo are untouchable) it lacks the type of elite prospect required to acquire a pitcher like Skubal. The Orioles must try, but the odds of them overpaying enough to convince Detroit to give up Skubal is unlikely.

Weyrich: Just as Burnes was acquired with the understanding he was going to test free agency, Skubal — a fellow Scott Boras client — would be a pure rental as well. The left-hander has been the best starting pitcher in the sport over the past two seasons and he stands to cash in next winter as a candidate to sign the largest contract ever for a pitcher. If Jackson Holliday and Samuel Basallo are untouchable, the Orioles’ best offer would likely have to include Dylan Beavers, Trey Gibson and one or two of their first-round picks from the past few drafts. Perhaps Coby Mayo as well. Even that might not be enough, but the Orioles should be willing to part with just about anyone in their farm system if it means adding Skubal to the front end of their rotation. 

After trading for Andrew Kittredge, how many more relievers will the Orioles acquire this offseason to rebuild their bullpen?

Meyer: One or two more than the math suggests. After the Kittredge trade — and, worth noting, what a combination of deals by Elias — the math might show the Orioles need two more relievers. It would be prudent to go overboard and get three or four instead. Injuries, especially to the pitching staff, have destroyed the Orioles over the past two seasons. It would be better to have a bullpen so deep that results in Rico Garcia not making the team and Kade Strowd in the minor leagues rather than opening the season with those two intriguing relievers in the bullpen. Furthermore, Elias’ track record of signing relievers isn’t great, but the sample isn’t large. The best way to improve that is to take more shots.

Weyrich: Elias made a savvy series of moves to get Kittredge into his bullpen for 2026, ensuring that he enters free agency with a dependable setup man around which he can start shaping the Orioles’ late-inning assignments. He’ll need at least two more to prevent the unit from being a liability and that’s how many I see the team acquiring this winter. In addition to Kittredge, the Orioles also have Yennier Cano, Keegan Akin and Dietrich Enns as likely candidates to crack the opening day bullpen. Should they add a closer and another setup man, that would leave them with two open slots — one for the likes of Garcia, Strowd and others to battle for and one for the starter who gets bumped from the rotation because of their offseason moves (read: Tyler Wells or Grayson Rodriguez). 

What under-the-radar free agents or trade targets should Orioles fans keep an eye on?

Meyer: This doesn’t count as “under-the-radar,” but this is just a roundtable about a silly game, so let’s break the rules. At the 2024 trade deadline, I predicted the Orioles would trade for Tampa Bay Rays starter Zach Eflin — and that they did. It would be smart for me to quit while I’m ahead, but what’s the fun in that? Here’s another prediction (based purely on conjecture): The Orioles will trade for Milwaukee Brewers starter Freddy Peralta. Baltimore needs another front-of-the-rotation starter to pair with Bradish and Rogers. Peralta has been one of the best and most consistent and durable pitchers in baseball over the past five seasons with a 3.30 ERA and 30-plus starts in three straight campaigns. Elias now has the prospect depth to be able to line up a deal like this. The Brewers have proven they have little issue making trades like this after they did so with Burnes. And the Orioles and Brewers front offices share similar philosophies and views of minor league talent, perhaps making it easier to find middle ground.

Weyrich: Center field is another key area the Orioles need to address this offseason after trading Cedric Mullins at the deadline. Colton Cowser could still be their everyday center fielder of the future, but he still showed some room to grow at the position and his injury history makes it difficult to bank on him playing 150 games there in 2026. Two free agents who could be a solid fit for Baltimore at the position are Harrison Bader and Trent Grisham. Bader would be the choice if defense is the priority, grading out as a plus defender with fantastic range who could help take the load off both Cowser and Tyler O’Neill in the corners. Grisham is more league average in center but is coming off a career year at the plate with 34 home runs and an .811 OPS. 

After ranking 15th at $162 million last year, where will the Orioles rank in 2026 opening day payroll?

Meyer: 15th

Weyrich: 11th

Who will sign Kyle Tucker and for how much?

Meyer: New York Yankees — 12 years, $360 million

Weyrich: Los Angeles Dodgers — 12 years, $325 million

Who will sign Framber Valdez and for how much?

Meyer: New York Mets — 7 years, $210 million

Weyrich: Philadelphia Phillies — 7 years, $235 million

Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Calvin Meyer at jameyer@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/JCalvinMeyer and Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/ByMattWeyrich.

MLB will be working around the WBC, scheduled for March 5-17, this spring. The Orioles don’t currently have any players who have committed to playing in the tournament, but they’re planning for any participating pitchers and catchers to report to their spring training complex in Sarasota, Florida, on Feb. 9 and position players on Feb. 12. 

Their full contingent of pitchers and catchers will report Feb. 11, and the rest of their position players will follow Feb. 16. 

Baltimore will open Grapefruit League play at its home ballpark of Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 20 against the New York Yankees. The exhibition game against Team Netherlands is scheduled for March 3, and the third annual spring breakout prospect showcase is set for March 19 against the Red Sox. The club hasn’t yet announced any game times.

To conclude their preseason, the Orioles will return up the East Coast for a home-and-home series against the Nationals — the first in what will be an annual event between the two regional neighbors as part of a five-year deal reached last spring. The Orioles will host Washington at Camden Yards on March 22 and play at Nationals Park on March 23. 

Baltimore begins the regular season March 26 at home against the Minnesota Twins. 

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.

Bench coach Robinson Chirinos has parted ways with the organization to pursue other opportunities and the Detroit Tigers have hired hitting coach Cody Asche and first base coach Anthony Sanders to be an assistant hitting coach and first base coach, respectively, according to multiple reports.

They followed assistant hitting coaches Sherman Johnson and Tommy Joseph in exiting the organization, sources previously told The Baltimore Sun, amid the Orioles’ hire of Craig Albernaz as manager. The Orioles have yet to announce any personnel moves since coming to terms with the Cleveland Guardians’ associate manager, who they introduced in a news conference Tuesday.

“In the background, there’s a lot of activity and work going on on that front,” president of baseball operations Mike Elias said. “Different conversations happening with different returning coaches or coaches that are still in the organization. Not really the time or place to get into all that but suffice to say there will be alterations to the composition of the staff. That’s normal year-to-year, but also when you have a manager change. We definitely want the ability for him to put his stamp on the staff.”

Chirinos, 41, came on as bench coach under former manager Brandon Hyde ahead of the 2025 campaign, his first year on an MLB coaching staff, and carried the title through a tumultuous 75-87 season in which Hyde was fired and replaced by then-third base coach Tony Mansolino as interim skipper. Asche, 35, was also one year into his capacity as hitting coach after being promoted from offensive strategy coach while Sanders, 51, had been the Orioles’ first base coach since 2020.

Chirinos was a catcher in the major leagues for 11 seasons, the last of which he spent with the Orioles in 2022. Lauded for his leadership in the clubhouse and impact on the ascending Adley Rutschman, he returned to Baltimore for his coaching debut and once again left a strong impression on a young Orioles catcher — this time in Samuel Basallo.

However, with a new manager leading the team forward in hopes of bouncing back from their last-place finish in the American League East, the Orioles have opted to part ways with Chirinos, Sanders and all three of their hitting coaches in the beginning of what is already shaping up to be a busy offseason.

The Baltimore Banner was first to report Chirinos’ departure and The Athletic had Asche and Sanders joining Detroit.

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.

The Orioles introduced Albernaz, 43, as their new manager Tuesday. With principal owner David Rubenstein and president of baseball operations Mike Elias flanked to either side and an audience in front of him that included his wife, Genevieve, his three children and one of his closest friends in Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, Albernaz donned a No. 55 jersey and ushered in a new era of Orioles baseball. 

“I wanted to make sure that whichever organization I go to, I was really ready to jump in and dive in,” Albernaz said. “Going through the process, meeting David and Mike and the rest of the front office, it really was, to me, an easy decision. … As you go through it, it just became clear that I wanted to be in Baltimore, be a Baltimore Oriole, and be in this organization, be in that dugout with this group of players.” 

Elias described the Orioles’ quest for manager over the past few weeks as “a very thorough process and a very extensive search.” After the club went 75-87 and finished last in the American League East, the front office sought a skipper who could bring “stability” to the organization. It landed on Albernaz, an up-and-coming candidate for years, with the expectation that the first-year manager could steer the Orioles back to contention.

“We feel that he’s ready to hit the ground running,” Elias said. “We feel like we have a team that has a really good shot to bounce back next year and be a team that can make the playoffs, but also hopefully make a deep playoff run in pursuit of a World Series. I think and our department thinks that Craig is the right leader for the next phase of this team and its maturation, but also for the 2026 season and beyond.” 

Albernaz joins the Orioles after two years of working as the right-hand man to Vogt in Cleveland, three years on the San Francisco Giants’ major league staff and five years in the Tampa Bay Rays’ minor league coaching ranks. Elias said that Albernaz would help advise him on personnel decisions while also serving as a “check on the front office” as well.

The young skipper embraces analytics and carries a strong background in player development — two attractive traits for a data-driven front office overseeing a roster built around a core of young position players. But he’s also a former minor league catcher with a fun-loving personality and a reputation for fostering strong relationships.

“You’re trying to place good bets on the field, bet those numbers,” Albernaz said. “Those data points help you place those bets. But it’s not 100% certainty. At the end of the day, the players go out and play, like I talked about before. So, it’s equipping them with the right information at the right time that’s digestible. … You have to know the player. So, analytics is a piece of how we’re going to go about our business in our clubhouse and on the field.”

Albernaz promised himself that he wouldn’t get emotional during the news conference but allowed himself a couple of voice cracks when speaking about his time with Vogt, who acknowledged that they managed the Guardians “together” the past two seasons. 

“He’s the hardest worker I’ve ever been around,” Vogt said. “The hours that he puts in, the time that he puts in, he’s prepared for everything. He’s over-prepared. He knows people and, again, a lot of this job that’s seen on TV is about 5% of what it takes, and the 95% that isn’t seen, he’s going to absolutely crush it and bring people together and create an unbelievable winning culture here.” 

The Orioles, despite missing the playoffs and changing managers, remain intent on returning to the playoffs in 2026. Their trade for reliever Andrew Kittredge mere hours after Albernaz’s news conference was the first offseason evidence of that. 

“If we get a healthy team, because of the players that we’re going to have, the great manager that we have, we’ll be in pretty good shape,” Rubenstein said. “Remember, Toronto was in last place the year [before] they went to the World Series … So, you can come back from the bottom and we expect to do that.” 

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.

He didn’t need much. Just a pen, a handshake and a chance to prove he belonged. 

“Alby,” an undersized catcher from Fall River, Massachusetts, had a cannon for an arm and a mind for the game to match, but he never reached the majors as a player in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Instead, he built a life in baseball through persistence and empathy that has led him to the manager’s seat in Baltimore. 

At 43, the former Division-II hustler now inherits a team rich in talent and expectation. Albernaz was hired last week as the 21st manager in Orioles history, taking over a club anxious to rebound from its last-place finish in 2025. 

The Baltimore Sun spoke with more than a dozen people who know Albernaz best — from college mentors and longtime teammates to players he’s coached across the minors and majors — to understand the man now tasked with leading one of MLB’s most promising yet unproven rosters. Through these conversations, a portrait emerged of a leader defined by his quick wit, authentic personality and drive to outwork everybody around him.

Undrafted and undersized

Josh Beauregard found out what kind of competitor his Eckerd College teammate was only a few days into Albernaz’s college career. 

Albernaz showed up to his first spring practices at the small Florida-based school with a thick Boston accent and blue-collar attitude. Listed at 5 feet, 8 inches, he wasn’t an imposing figure by his stature. Yet his presence was hard to miss. Albernaz approached Beauregard, who would go on to set the Eckerd College record for stolen bases, and told the sophomore outfielder not to try running on him.

“I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ll see.’ And then I saw him throw, and I was like, ‘Dear god, this boy can chuck it pretty good.’ He’s not a big man, but he could throw the crap out of it,” Beauregard, now the head of Eckerd’s baseball program, said in a phone interview.

Their coach, Bill “Skip” Mathews, agreed, describing Albernaz as “blessed with the best arm of anyone I’ve ever seen or coached in my 40 years of coaching baseball.” He quickly earned the trust of his coaches with his pitch-calling and the affinity of his pitchers for his framing.

“He was never satisfied with the amount of time we spent on the field,” Mathews said. “We had restrictions in the NCAA, and he always wanted more and more and more. It was crazy. He was relentless in his pursuit of making not only himself, but others around him good. … It was a way of life for him. 

“If I could have cloned him, I would have won a thousand games.” 

Albernaz’s leadership was the trait that stood out the most. His teammates predicted he would go on to manage well before his playing days were over.

“When we were playing in college, everybody just sort of looked and said, ‘Hey, what does Alby think about this?’ And they looked to him to lead,” said Billy Evers Jr., Albernaz’s former roommate and the current Eckerd College deputy athletic director. “He loved the game and he wanted to elevate his teammates.”

After he went undrafted, Albernaz was ready to try out for an independent league team in February 2006 when Mathews received a call from then-Rays player development coordinator Mitch Lukevics with his $1,000 offer. Mathews drove him to Tropicana Field himself, and Albernaz signed his first contract right then in Lukevics’ office. 

He became every pitcher’s favorite backstop to work with during spring training, even working as former Cy Young Award winner David Price’s personal catcher at one point. Albernaz’s arm was once again on full display — he threw out 44% of would-be base stealers during his minor league career — and he made it to Triple-A despite a lifetime .199/.276/.211 slash line. 

“If modern catching metrics were around back then, he’s probably a guy with a 10-year big league career,” said his longtime trainer Eric Cressey, now the director of player health and performance for the New York Yankees.

Setting a precedent

When Albernaz transitioned from player to coach and began managing in the Rays’ system, his impact was immediate. 

During just his second season as a minor-league manager in 2018, he quickly transformed the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods into one of the best teams in the minors. The club set a franchise record for wins and steamrolled its way to a Midwest League Championship, powered by a loose clubhouse culture that reflected its manager’s personality.

Several of Albernaz’s players had spent the previous year in Advanced-Rookie Princeton, where they had grown used to an old-school manager in Danny Sheaffer, who banned cellphones and kept the next day’s schedule hidden following defeats.

But in Bowling Green, Albernaz cultivated a work atmosphere that brought out the best of his players and has transferred throughout his career.

“After our first loss, everybody in the clubhouse is quiet,” recalled former pitcher Tyler Zombro, who went 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA that season. “Alby comes bopping out of his office and in his heavy northeastern accent goes, ‘What’s wrong with you [expletives]? Turn the music on!’ … He held you accountable, but you were always going to be yourself and feel comfortable.”  

Albernaz demanded professionalism, but it never came at the expense of joy, according to several of his former players. 

For all the wins that the 2018 Bowling Green squad experienced, players say the real change was in how everyone was treated. Under Albernaz, fast-rising prospects and late-round relievers shared the same expectations.

Brendan McKay, the No. 4 pick in the 2017 draft by the Rays, remembers a manager who allowed players to enjoy the long grind without losing focus. Given McKay’s unique status and development as a two-way player, Albernaz prioritized his communication with the fast riser.  

“He’s just a fun guy to be around. He would love to joke with you,” McKay recalled. “He definitely had that personal aspect to him; it wasn’t just that player-manager, player-coach aspect. He was truly invested in who you are as a person, too, my family, my personal relationship, he showed that he cared about all of that.”

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He continued: “Alby’d always let you have fun and be yourself, but within reason. Even after losses, he’d say, ‘Stop [expletive] being sad, bump that music!’ Win or loss, he’d remind us, ‘You’re doing what you’ve always dreamt of doing, so enjoy it.’” 

That message resonated with newcomers, too.

Pitcher Tommy Romero joined Bowling Green following a midseason trade from Seattle. He arrived nervous and unsure if he belonged; his worst outing that season came at the hands of Bowling Green. But according to Romero, Albernaz drove up his confidence level on the mound and in the clubhouse, quickly erasing his initial nerves.

The right-hander went on to become a 2018 Midwest League All-Star, one of several players who thrived under Albernaz. 

“Alby just welcomed me with open arms,” Romero said. “He was always transparent with the guys. We won a bunch that year, but even when he lost, he never changed, never panicked. He always believed in us, and that made us believe in ourselves.”

Albernaz was promoted to Rays minor-league field coordinator in 2019, a position that allowed him to oversee multiple levels across the organization and reengage with former prospects he managed. He joins a unique group of former Rays minor leaguers who are current major league managers, including Stephen Vogt (Guardians), Matt Quatraro (Royals), Kevin Cash (Rays) and new Nationals manager Blake Butera.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, a 2011 first-round draft pick by the Rays, described Albernaz as “one of the dopest coaches in baseball.”

“He’s lit,” Snell said. “Seems like he will be a great fit over there [in Baltimore].” 

A manager in waiting

Wherever Albernaz went, winning followed. 

Following his success with the Rays organization, the San Francisco Giants then plucked him for their big league staff the following year, naming him bullpen coach and catching instructor under manager Gabe Kapler. 

His first year in San Francisco, the Giants went 107-55 and won the National League West behind a renaissance season from catcher Buster Posey. Albernaz also overlapped with defensive stalwart Patrick Bailey, who has starred defensively in an era that better appreciates his framing and game-calling.

“Kapler leaned on him quite a bit,” said Curt Casali, who was a backup catcher for the Giants from 2021 to 2022 and played under Albernaz as a Rays prospect. “I think Craig could be summarized as a glue guy, just bringing out the best in everybody, whether it’s the players or the coaching staff.” 

It wasn’t long before teams started expressing interest in Albernaz as a major league manager. The Cleveland Guardians interviewed him ahead of the 2024 season before ultimately deciding on Vogt, Albernaz’s former teammate and one of his closest friends. Vogt took the job and made Albernaz his bench coach, ushering in a new clubhouse culture in Cleveland and emerging as a force in the American League. 

“Alby got a lot of guys out of their shell,” Guardians base running and outfield coach J.T. Maguire said. “Not even just for the young guys, guys like José Ramírez, he’s come out of his shell 1,000% compared to when I first met him. So, it’s not a cliché that we are fun-loving and very out in the open with things like that. But it actually is what it is. It’s authentic.”

After the Guardians won the AL Central and made a run to the AL Championship Series — with Vogt winning Manager of the Year honors along the way — more teams came knocking. The Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox both interviewed Albernaz for their manager vacancies, but Albernaz ultimately pulled out of the running to return to Cleveland.

The Guardians sweetened the deal with a promotion to “associate manager,” an unconventional title that reflected his influence on the organization. Albernaz wasn’t just Vogt’s right-hand man, talking him through every in-game manager decision. He touched nearly every part of the Guardians’ day-to-day operations. Macguire said players and coaches always went to Albernaz next if Vogt was unavailable, and he communicated with the front office often.

Another successful season in Cleveland and another hiring cycle later, Albernaz finally found a match in Baltimore. The Orioles presented him with the opportunity to manage a team with win-now expectations in a city within driving distance of the Philadelphia area, where his family calls home.

He might not be the proven, experienced MLB manager some Orioles fans clamored for after they went 75-87 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022, but Albernaz has shown the characteristics of a big league skipper throughout his baseball career. 

“He’s just a straight shooter,” Beauregard said. “I think the way he talks, the dialect, being from Mass and all that sort of stuff, where there’s always an undertone of sarcasm sometimes, but he’s hitting you right between the eyes with the truth. And you’re like, ‘Dang, you kind of zinged me there, but I love you for it.’ … I think he’s going to do a fantastic job. I’m thrilled to death.” 

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich, and Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports.

Much has changed.

A promising start turned sour in a hurry for the Terps on Saturday as No. 2-ranked Indiana routed them, 55-10, in their homecoming game at SECU Stadium. It marked Maryland’s most lopsided loss since a 66-17 blowout at the hands of Ohio State on Oct. 9, 2021, and most lopsided home defeat since Nov. 23, 2019, against Nebraska.

The loss was the fourth straight for Maryland (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten), which has dropped at least four games in a row each of the past three seasons under coach Mike Locksley. The Hoosiers (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) started slow but got rolling midway through the first quarter and cruised to a dominant road performance on both sides of the ball.

“Can’t hang our heads,” Locksley said after the game. “I obviously didn’t coach well enough. The players obviously didn’t execute well enough. One of the things that I’ll continue to say is that we’re not going to be victims. We’ll get this thing corrected. I’ll get on the tape here the next couple of days here, get us back in here Monday with an opportunity to go to New Jersey against Rutgers and try to get this thing back on track.” 

Maryland freshman quarterback Malik Washington committed four turnovers and the Terps managed 293 yards of total offense, including just 37 on the ground. Washington finished 16 of 31 for 242 yards and a touchdown. Locksley said in his on-field CBS interview at halftime that the true freshman looked “unsettled” in the first half and he struggled to make throws under pressure all afternoon.

“Today we kind of tried to force the issue a little bit,” Washington said. “I’ll take that on myself, of course, but being able to find ways to get the ball downfield, I [can’t] force it.”

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s redshirt junior quarterback and the betting favorite to win this year’s Heisman Trophy, didn’t need to do much as the Hoosiers’ running game racked up 369 yards on the ground. Mendoza finished with 201 passing yards and two total touchdowns while former Terps star and John Carroll graduate Roman Hemby rushed for 88 yards. Seven players found the end zone for Indiana, which has scored 50 or more points in a game five times this season.

Entering the game as heavy underdogs, the Terps caught Indiana by surprise with back-to-back defensive stands to open the contest. Redshirt junior cornerback Jamare Glasker made a smart read in man coverage to pick off Mendoza on the Hoosiers’ first drive and Terps sacks on consecutive plays the ensuing possession forced a three-and-out. 

Despite getting strong field position both times — including a start from the Indiana 12-yard on their first drive — the Terps’ offense scored just three points to show for it. Their inability to capitalize left Indiana plenty of time to punch back and the Hoosiers did to the tune of four straight scoring drives for a 20-3 halftime lead.

“We got to do a better job when we get those opportunities,” Locksley said. “We have had opportunities to seize momentum, to maybe put doubt in people when we start the game. I thought we started really fast on defense the last few weeks and we’ve been really inefficient on offense, and it typically starts with being able to have balance. And I always say balance is being able to run and pass and we weren’t very good running the football.” 

Maryland showed some life to open the second half when Washington hit redshirt freshman running back DeJuan Williams for a 55-yard touchdown, a play Washington made possible with his legs and a well-placed, off-balance throw. Yet Indiana was relentless, countering with a touchdown drive of its own to rip any momentum right back.

Washington then fumbled on each of his next two possessions, one of which was picked up by redshirt senior defensive back Devan Boykin for a scoop-and-score. The turnovers put the game out of hand early in the third and the crowd, which Maryland announced as a sellout Friday, started trickling out of the stadium well before the final whistle. The student section chanted “Fire Locksley” at the end of the first half.

“I mean, it’s not good,” said defensive lineman Cam Rice, a graduate student. “If you could imagine, a lot of guys are upset, disappointed on how things are going but nobody is pointing the finger, nobody is pointing blame. We all know that we all got to get better at what we do and just keep pushing. Better times are coming.” 

While Maryland will need to win two of its final four games to qualify for a bowl, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers on the cusp of their second straight College Football Playoff appearance. Saturday’s game illustrated just how far apart the two programs are as the Terps are left searching for positives from a game that provided very few.

Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.