By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Copyright newsweek
The Baltimore Orioles are shaking up their front office and are in the process of identifying their next general manager.According to multiple reports Thursday, the Orioles promoted Mike Elias to the title of president prior to the 2025 season without making a formal announcement. Britt Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic were the first to report the news.More news: Original Mets Outfielder, Former Cubs Manager, Dies at 94Now, according to the original report, the O’s are planning to hire a new general manager who will work under Elias, and look to turn around a club that has been mired in last place in the American League East since April. At 68-77, the Orioles are on pace for a 76-win season — their lowest winning percentage since 2021.The O’s season has come as a shocking disappointment for a team that was expected to build on its back-to-back postseason appearances after emerging from a long rebuild. Baltimore won 91 games last season after winning 101 in 2023.More news: One MLB Team Won’t Sign Framber Valdez After He Deceived Teammate: ReportBut the blame will not fall on Elias, who was named general manager and executive president on Nov. 16, 2018. Brandon Hyde was fired as the Orioles manager on May 17, and Tony Mansolino has filled that post on an interim basis ever since.The GM vacancy in Baltimore is one of two in Major League Baseball. The Washington Nationals previously fired GM Mike Rizzo in July, and are also conducting their own search. Executives interested in one job, perhaps, won’t have to travel far to interview for the other.More news: Former World Series Champion Passes AwayDespite their underwhelming season, the Orioles job remains an attractive one.Under owner David Rubenstein, who bought the team from the Angelos family in 2024, the Orioles have very few long-term payroll commitments and some freedom to build around a core of talented young players in free agency. The Orioles rank 17th in MLB in payroll obligations, according to Spotrac.The organization’s top prospect, Samuel Basallo, recently agreed to a team-friendly 8-year extension. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and Jackson Holliday are all under team control, giving the Orioles’ new GM a core of three position players who could star for any team.Among the veteran free agents who signed with the Orioles last winter, only outfielder Tyler O’Neill is under contract beyond this season. The front office has somewhat of a blank slate to start over in 2026.GM jobs rarely come open in baseball. Expect the Orioles’ job to command a long list of applicants.For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
