The search for the next manager of the Orioles has begun in earnest.
Baltimore has started the interview process with managerial candidates, a source said. At his end-of-season press conference, president of baseball operations Mike Elias said the Orioles hoped to hire a manager “ASAP,” cognizant of the competition that will come from multiple openings across the league.
Tony Mansolino, the interim manager who took over after Brandon Hyde’s firing in May, is a “real candidate,” Elias said last month. Other internal options might include bench coach Robinson Chirinos and longtime Triple-A manager Buck Britton. Former utility infielder Ryan Flaherty, who went on to be the bench coach for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, is also expected to receive interest from Baltimore and other destinations.
A twist was thrown into the managerial hunt when Mike Shildt retired as the Padres manager following their exit from the postseason. That opens another coveted position with a star-studded roster.
The Texas Rangers have already filled their managerial position by hiring Skip Schumaker. The other openings belong to: the Minnesota Twins, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies.
When Orioles right-hander Tyler Wells described at the end of the season the characteristics he most values in a manager, they boiled down to “consistency they show up every day, and the way that they treat people,” and “being effective communicators.”
“Those are the two most important traits for a manager,” Wells said. “We’ve been fortunate to have that with the last two people, with Hyder and with Manso.”
Those traits will surely be considered. Elias also noted that previous managerial experience could be a bonus, but not a requirement.
As the interview process unfolds, this story will be updated with candidates who have spoken with the Orioles.
Luis Rojas, Yankees third base coach
According to SNY, the Orioles interviewed Luis Rojas for their managerial position. Rojas, who managed the Mets in 2020 and 2021, is currently the third base coach for the Yankees.
Rojas, the son of former player and manager Felipe Alou, was a longtime minor league coach and manager before an unexpected rise to the top job on a major league staff. Rojas was hired as a coach on Carlos Beltrán’s Mets staff after the 2019 season. But Beltrán’s role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal prompted Beltrán and the club to mutually part ways, and Rojas was promoted as a first-time manager in the majors.
His two-year tenure in New York didn’t play out spectacularly. In the coronavirus-shortened 2020, the Mets finished 26-34. In 2021, the Mets sat in first place for 103 days only to stumble down the stretch and finish with a 77-85 record — setting a record for the most days in first only to end with a losing record.
Rojas’ club option was declined, which ended his tenure as Mets manager, and he joined Aaron Boone’s staff across town.