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10/27 12:11 CDT Orioles hire Cleveland assistant Craig Albernaz as manager
after finishing last in AL East
Orioles hire Cleveland assistant Craig Albernaz as manager after finishing last
in AL East
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
The Baltimore Orioles are sticking with youth in their managerial spot, hiring
Cleveland assistant Craig Albernaz for that role.
Albernaz, who turns 43 on Thursday, was previously an associate manager with
the Guardians. He was promoted to that role after serving as bench coach in
2024.
Albernaz takes over a Baltimore team that still has plenty of potential despite
sliding to 75 wins this year and a last-place finish in the AL East. The
Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde in May, and Tony Mansolino ran the team on
an interim basis the rest of the way.
"We are elated to welcome Craig Albernaz as the next manager of the Orioles and
our leader on the field," team president Mike Elias said in a statement Monday.
"Craig has built an exemplary career across multiple successful organizations
and brings a tremendous amount of experience, knowledge and talent to our
organization and to this new challenge. We believe he is the right person at
the right time to elevate our baseball operations and guide our team back to
the playoffs and a World Series championship."
Albernaz is about a month younger than Mansolino, and like his predecessor
he'll be making his big league managing debut with Baltimore. That was
basically the case with Hyde as well. His major league managing experience
consisted of one game in an interim role with the Marlins before he began
managing the Orioles at age 45 in 2019.
Hyde led Baltimore to a 101-win season and an AL East title in 2023, followed
by a wild card in 2024. But what looked like one of baseball's top young teams
faltered badly this year. Beset by injuries, pitching problems and stagnation
by some important hitters, the Orioles fell behind early in the season and
never fully recovered.
It'll now be Albernaz's responsibility to help reverse that trend. Prior to his
stint with Cleveland, he was a bullpen and catching coach for the San Francisco
Giants from 2020-23. He managed at the Class A level in the Tampa Bay
organization in 2017 and 2018, earning Midwest League Manager of the Year
honors in 2018 when he won a championship with Bowling Green.
"I am deeply honored and humbled to join the storied Baltimore Orioles
organization," Albernaz said. "This is a tremendous honor, and I'm grateful to
Mike Elias and the entire Orioles team for entrusting me with the
responsibility of leading this talented club."
Despite their dreadful 2025 season, the Orioles remain a good opportunity for
the new manager. They have a 24-year-old shortstop in Gunnar Henderson, who has
already reached a degree of stardom, and infielder Jackson Holliday and catcher
Samuel Basallo have plenty of potential. Getting catcher Adley Rutschman back
on track would be a big boost as well.
The Toronto Blue Jays went from last place in the AL East in 2024 to the World
Series this year. The Orioles will try to do the same in 2026.
Born in Somerset, Massachusetts, Albernaz played at Eckerd College in Florida.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent catcher by Tampa Bay and played as
high as the Triple-A level.
The Orioles plan to introduce Albernaz during a news conference at Camden Yards
on Nov. 4.
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