Manager Brandon Hyde Fired By Baltimore Orioles

Washington Nationals Gut Wrenching Loss Last Straw for Orioles Skipper

The Baltimore Orioles have moved on from 2023 AL Manager of the Year, Brandon Hyde.

It is a bittersweet ending to what seemed like a story from a fable.  But in the middle of May, and at over 10 games under .500, the Orioles felt they had to act.

Hyde served the Orioles since 2018 as the manager, and went through tons of games of turmoil until 2022.  During this time he must be credited with building a clubhouse that turned out two of the best teams in the AL in 2023 and 2024.

After dropping a heartbreaking loss to the Washington Nationals where the Orioles seemed to do everything right except win.  The skipper was fired before the second game of the series.  An atrocious hole to start the 2025 season was too much for the Orioles.

Brandon Hyde: Leader of the Rebuild

2018–2021: Rebuilding in the Basement

Brandon Hyde’s impact on the Orioles cannot be understated.  The man has been working hard for the Orioles since 2018 when he joined the organization under Mike Elias.

In 2021 he watched as John Means threw a no hitter.  A feat that only has occurred 10 times by Orioles pitchers.

2022: Rutschman’s Arrival and the Turning Point

And until 2022, they were under 500 every year.  Adley Rutschman got the call on the day of the Preakness, a historic Baltimore horse race.  Adley Rutschman was here to stay as many will remember his triple in his first game.

This signalled the end of the rebuild for fans, and Hyde carried hope into the 2023 season where the Orioles delivered.

The Orioles had the best record in the American League.

2023: AL East Champions and Manager of the Year

Hyde had risen to the top of the baseball managerial ranks in 2023.  By having the best record in American League baseball in a division where the team in last place finished 3 games under 500 in the Red Sox, the Baltimore Orioles, and manager Brandon Hyde arrived.

The Orioles relied on a stud lineup, and shrewd moves by Brandon Hyde to get in key matchups he liked based on analytics.  With a dominant bullpen, great lineup, and surprisingly effective patch work rotation that featured Kyle Gibson.

The Orioles managed to exceed expectations and win 101 games with only 61 losses, and the AL East Crown.

Orioles fans will always remember this season as the Orioles are here.  That’s what makes his firing so tough for fans everywhere.  He led the Orioles from the lowest of lows from a 47 win season to the top at over 100 wins.

Skipper Smack Talk: Brandon Hyde’s Best Moments

Beyond the box scores, Hyde’s fire in the dugout and loyalty to his players made him a fan favorite.

He gave Birdland some unforgettable moments.

Hyder had his players' backs over the years.  When they were good and bad.

Brandon Hyde brought a fire and an edge to a team that needed it when they were young and upcoming.

Brandon Hyde vs the New York Yankees

Brandon Hyde’s best moment came against the New York Yankees.  After Heston Kjerstad was hit with a fastball in the earhole, Hyde got in a shouting match with the Yankees dugout who seemed to be yelling at the Orioles.

Hyde understood the assignment, and caused the bullpens to empty and the Orioles Camden Yards to get fired up.

Look at how electric the stadium was here:

Brandon Hyde vs Robbie Ray

Another great Hyde moment came against the Blue Jays.  Before the pitch clock era Brandon Hyde grew frustrated with Blue Jays pitcher Robbie Ray.

He continuously reminded the pitcher to throw the ball.

Mike Elias’ Forced Hand, Hyde Scapegoat for Pitching Troubles?

While Brandon Hyde paid the price for the Orioles’ collapse, many fans believe the real blame lies with Elias’ offseason pitching decisions or lack thereof.

Mike Elias has been with Hyde since the start.  Coming in as Baltimore Orioles GM, Mike Elias has been tied to Brandon Hyde through downs and ups, and now downs again.

With the Orioles off to a 16-32 start, its hard to imagine new owner David Rubenstein is happy with the on the field product the Orioles have shown in his first year of full team control.  

Brandon Hyde had hope because he had managed the Orioles to some of the best baseball in the past couple of years.

Unfortunately that hope grew thin with Orioles fans.  They’re working to dig themselves out of a hole with the man that led them, and had great moments sticking up for his players.

Elias has given himself a ton of flexibility with the way that he has constructed the roster.  But many fans, and analysts alike would rightfully criticize Elias for not adding a top end starter to a rotation full of question marks.

Orioles Predictable Pitching Woes

Losing Corbin Burnes in free agency seemed like a gut punch the Orioles maybe could’ve solved. 

What the Orioles Could Have Done:

• Trade for Garrett Crochet like the Red Sox

• Sign Max Fried or Blake Snell to a long term deal

• Make a run at Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, or Michael Wacha

What They Actually Did:

• Signed Tomoyuki Sugano, Charlie Morton, and Kyle Gibson to one year deals

• Banked on Eflin and Rodriguez staying healthy

The fact of the matter is after Burnes, Fried, and Eovaldi no other pitcher commanded a multi-year deal that other teams gladly paid for.

The Orioles balked at pitching while maintaining flexibility to bring in a starter in 2026 and beyond now that other teams have big money locked up in starting pitchers.

With injuries to both Eflin and Rodriguez the Orioles starting pitching rotation has been the Achilles heel for a team that has failed to produce at all.  They are one of the worst teams in baseball, and they’re playing like it.

Elias Future and his Hot Seat

Elias is needed for the Orioles.  The draft is right around the corner, and Elias has been pretty savvy.  The Orioles have 3 first round picks this year, and they’ll be looking to restock the shelves with prospects after graduating or trading high end names like Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser on the Orioles, and Joey Ortiz, Kyle Stowers, and Conor Norby who are playing good ball for other clubs.

The trade deadline will be interesting for the Orioles as well, who now look like they could be sellers.  Position players and bullpen names will be key for the Orioles if they decide to sell.  A position no one thought that they’d be in, especially with almost three quarters of the season left to go.

I’d expect Elias to make it until the end of the year, and then a need for a substantial plan to address the pitching staff.  The Orioles ‘pen is as solid as it gets, and they are expected to get key arms back like Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells to a rotation that could add another arm in free agency or from the farm in Chayce McDermott or Trevor Rogers.

Elias may survive the season, but if he can’t fix the rotation by this winter - through the draft, trades, or free agency - the Orioles’ rebuild could stall out just as quickly as it peaked.