Two weeks after tabbing Mike Elias as their new general manager, the Baltimore Orioles are finally making reported progress on hiring a manager. Baltimore parted with previous skipper Buck Showalter nearly two months ago, but the slow-moving GM search that eventually led the team to Elias has left it as the majors’ last club without a manager.
Appointing Showalter’s successor will be one of the first noteworthy decisions Elias makes atop the Orioles’ front office, but given that the O’s are in the early stages of a full rebuild, win-loss record certainly won’t be the main focus when judging their manager in 2019.
Here’s a look at where the Orioles’ search stands thus far:
First-round interviews
- The Orioles will interview at least six candidates in person, including Nationals bench coach Chip Hale and Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. The 54-year-old Hale has previous managerial experience, which the O’s are thought to prefer, according to Rosenthal, though he suggests it isn’t a dealbreaker. A former major league infielder, Hale managed the Diamondbacks to a combined 148-176 mark from 2015 to '16. Hale has since served on the staffs of the A’s and Nats, and he drew managerial interest from the Phillies and Mets a year ago.
- Hyde, 45, was on the radars of the Blue Jays, Twins and Angels when they were seeking managers earlier in the fall. He comes with plenty of coaching experience, having worked as a minor league manager with the Marlins from 2005 to '09 before functioning as their bench coach from 2010 to '12. Hyde has been on the Cubs’ coaching staff since 2013.
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