Apr 7, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cal Ripken Jr., a member of the Major League Baseball hall of fame sits behind home plate before the game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Cal Ripken Jr. gives blunt assessment of Baltimore Orioles GM Mike Elias

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 12:55 PM ET

September 6 is a date that will always hold a special place in the hearts of Baltimore Orioles fans. This is because on September 6, 1995, the legendary Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive game, which broke the MLB record for consecutive games played.

There's a very good chance that this record will never be broken, given how much of an emphasis there is on proper rest and recovery in the modern day.

Regardless, there certainly isn't anybody in the MLB right now who is remotely close to approaching Ripken Jr.'s record, which gives Orioles fans plenty to celebrate when their team faces the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, which will mark exactly 30 years since Ripken Jr.'s record was etched in baseball history.

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

That being said, Orioles fans were hoping for more to be excited about this weekend than just the 30th anniversary of Ripken Jr.'s record. Since the defending World Series champions are coming to town, many would have predicted this to be a potential preview of what the 2025 World Series might look like at the beginning of this year.

Alas, the Orioles have not held up their end of the bargain, as their brutal start to the season has made it so Baltimore is already out of postseason consideration.

Cal Ripken Jr. Speaks About Orioles GM Mike Elias

Cal Ripken Jr. spoke with Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun ahead of the 30th anniversary of his record, which was published in a September 5 article. At one point in their discussion, Ripken Jr. got honest about the job Orioles GM Mike Elias has done with this team.

“I have all the confidence in the world in him. You can’t overreact," Ripken Jr. said of Elias, which was included in an X post from Jacob Calvin Meyer.

Cal Ripken Jr.’s faith in Orioles GM Mike Elias hasn’t wavered this season.

“I have all the confidence in the world in him,” Ripken said. “You can’t overreact.”

More from Ripken on Elias and the future of the Orioles:https://t.co/6Ro6iA6A6n
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) September 5, 2025

Ripken Jr. went on to say that Elias deserves a lot of credit for turning the Orioles into a playoff-caliber team, and that his performance can't be conveyed through Baltimore's disappointing 2025 season. He also noted that other MLB franchises are surely noticing how much talent Baltimore has in the organization, which is a clear sign that Elias has been successful.

Ripken Jr. was overall optimistic about where the Orioles are as a franchise, especially because this team is immediately going to be a playoff contender once 2026 spring training begins, regardless of what moves they make this offseason.

If Ripken Jr. approves of Mike Elias, that means most Orioles fans should approve of him, too.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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