Orioles Boss Mike Elias Explains Why He Fired Manager Brandon Hyde

Three days after he fired manager Brandon Hyde, Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias explained his logic to reporters.

Baltimore was in Milwaukee for a series with the Brewers.

Hyde paid the price for the Orioles’ horrible start to the season. They went 15-28 under Hyde before Elias pulled the plug on Saturday. Third base coach Tony Mansolino was named interim manager. The O’s will search for a permanent manager after the season.

For now, Elias said his focus is on trying to do everything he can to help turn around an undeniably talented team with deep flaws in its pitching rotation.

Why Mike Elias Fired Brandon Hyde

Elias spoke to reporters about the decision, saying that he believes the team needs a “different voice” to turn things around. For now, that voice will be Mansolino, who has never been a Major League manager.

He praised Hyde for his work with the franchise, which dated back to 2019. He also reflected on the past 18 months. Part of his decision-making included the second half of last season, when Baltimore became mired in an awful offensive slump, slid out of first place in the AL East but still made it into the Wild Card playoffs.

There, the O’s lost to the Kansas City Royals in two games. Baltimore has not won a playoff game in two postseason series under Hyde and Elias.

That struggle to end last season, coupled with this season’s awful start, led to Elias making the move.

“Stretching back into early last summer, this is a team that we feel has been collectively and individually to varying degrees underperforming to its talent level,” Elias said to reporters, including MLB.com. “This is a really good group of players. These young position players have played so well for so long together, and we haven’t seen that to the degree that we want for a while now.”

Elias said he’s now evaluating every part of the organization, including the front office, analytics and player development.

It is possible Elias’ job could be on the line after the season, as he made decisions that led to Baltimore being short-handed in its starting rotation, signing struggling veterans after whiffing on re-signing Corbin Burnes.

He remains confident he’s the right leader for the organization.

“A big point of pride for me throughout my career has been my ability to adapt,” he said. “What we’re going through right now and the degree to which we’re going through it is well below anyone’s standards, including mine. This is deeply disappointing. I’m doing everything in my power to correct and improve it.”

The Orioles hired Hyde for the 2019 season, and he managed the franchise through a tough rebuild that ended in 2023, when Baltimore won 101 games and he was named American League manager of the year. The O’s won the AL East Division and made the playoffs again last season.

In six-plus seasons leading the Orioles, along with one game as an interim manager for Miami in 2011, he is 421-492 for his Major League managerial career.