Ex-Orioles coach makes feelings clear on expectations after Tony Mansolino fills in for Brandon Hyde
The Baltimore Orioles fired Brandon Hyde on Saturday after a disastrous 15-28 start to the season. Third base coach Tony Mansolino is filling in as the interim manager.
Hyde being fired was surprising but not unexpected as his team has looked clueless on the field and has seemingly played themselves out of playoff contention just over a month into the season.
However, former Orioles coach Fredi Gonzalez isn't sure Hyde's departure will help the team turn around their fortunes. He said on MLB Network Radio:
"I don't know what this change is, unless they revamped the entire roster and your pitching staff. I think offensively, they're okay. I think the pitching staff and the starting rotation, particularly, it's a hole there."
Baltimore's rotation has been ravaged by injuries this season. Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Andrew Kittredge and Albert Suarez are on the IL. Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish are recovering from surgeries while Westburg, Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser are out of the lineup.
The ex-Orioles coach shed light on the expectations from Mansolino as the interim manager.
"I don't know what Tony's gonna do. I don't know if he's going to come in and put pixie dust on the roster. It's a good opportunity for him. It's a young staff, and you look around.
"It's a young, inexperienced major league coaching staff, and so I don't know what Tony can do to fix it, but it's a good opportunity for him to get his feet wet and get some experience."
Brandon Hyde failed to sort Orioles' woes at the start of 2025 season
While the pitching had been an issue for Brandon Hyde's, the offense didn't cover itself in glory either. Under Hyde, the Orioles averaged a league-worst .192 with runners in scoring positions.
Hyde arrived in Baltimore in 2018 and went 131-253 in his first three seasons. However, he turned things around with a first winning season in 2022 and followed it with an American League-best 101-61 in 2023.
After consecutive postseason appearances, Hyde was expected to take the Orioles to October baseball. However, the team has looked well off the pace and could be on the cusp of one of the worst seasons in recent years.