Hello, friends.
There are now 151 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2026. How many of them are involved in finishing off the 2025 season depends on how many games the World Series goes. After Saturday night, we know that the series is going at least five games. The Dodgers evened up the series as they got to former Oriole Kevin Gausman when he was pushed a little too far, then added to their lead against the Jays bullpen. Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a complete game, almost unbelievable for the postseason
these days. If the Dodgers go on to win this thing, that’s the stuff of legend.
The series will not get any closer to a resolution today because it’s a travel day as the teams move over to Los Angeles for the next three games.
I am facetiously expecting the Orioles to hire a manager today, or for some kind of substantial development on that front to leak out, for this reason: I will be attending a family wedding. At times it can feel like Mike Elias gets a particular thrill out of waiting until I, personally, am not near a computer to have big news come along. Today is going to be his best chance to do that between now and the end of the World Series, so obviously that’s what’s going to happen.
In all seriousness, I’d like to see the manager business settled, if not by November 1 (the possible Game 7 date) then at least within a few days after that. That way, thoughts about manager and coaching staff hires aren’t taking up any of the front office brainpower when they need to have their attention turned to getting the roster back in shape to be a great team next season. That’s going to involve aggressive and maybe creative thinking about external additions, and it’s also going to have to involve solving problems that the counted-on core of the team developed over the course of this year.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
World Series teams have big payrolls. Will Orioles join them? (The Baltimore Sun)
You can win without spending the biggest bucks, but you can’t win without spending any bucks. Of course, for the 2025 Orioles, the problem wasn’t so much about spending money at all as it was about not spending money well.
Reshaping Orioles bullpen will be key to potential turnaround in 2026 (Orioles.com)
I’ll be hoping for more of a “remaking” than a “reshaping,” personally. It is certainly key to turning things around.
Nationals interview Brandon Hyde (MLB Trade Rumors)
MLBTR rounds up some recently-reported names who’ve interviewed for the open manager’s job, including former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. It will not be hard to be happy for Hyde if he gets another job.
Frederick Keys, set to return as Orioles affiliate, unveil new logos (The Baltimore Banner)
The new version of the Keys is leaning a lot more on the imagery of the things you use to open up locks than the previous iteration did.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Nothing of any particular note has happened on this day in franchise history. Nor will it ever, until they make it to the World Series for the first time in over 40 years.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2019-20 outfielder Dwight Smith Jr., 2023-24 reliever Danny Coulombe, and 1973-76 pitcher Wayne Garland. Also with a birthday today is 2000-03 manager Mike Hargrove. Today is Hargrove’s 76th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you as well! Your birthday buddies for today include: actor Bob Hoskins (1942), longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak (1946), musician Natalie Merchant (1963), and actor/screenwriter Seth MacFarlane (1973).
On this day in history…
In 1813, an invading American force that was trying to push into Montreal was defeated by a combined force of British, Canadian militia, and Mohawk fighters in the Battle of the Chateauguay.
In 1881, there was a gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona, known to history as the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral even though the corral was merely nearby.
In 1999, the House of Lords of the United Kingdom voted to end the right of most hereditary peers to have an automatic seat in Parliament. Attempts have been made since to remove the last 92 peers from the House but have not been successful.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 26. Have a safe Sunday.
