Hello, friends.
There are now 154 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2026. The World Series remains for some entertainment over the next week-plus, though it’s not going to help you out today because
that doesn’t actually start until tomorrow. Having three four full days off after the end of the ALCS is pretty ridiculous, if you ask me.
Still no formal movement on the Orioles hiring a new manager. Or if you’re feeling pessimistic, hiring the existing interim manager to be the real manager. The last couple of days have seen two of the teams with openings settle theirs, with the Giants having the surprise hire of University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello, and the Angels having their own surprise hire of former player Kurt Suzuki. Also surprising about the Angels hire is it’s a brand new manager on, apparently, a one-year contract. Deeply weird!
Neither of these hires are likely to have impacted the Orioles own search. I just don’t think they had either of these guys in mind or certainly not in serious consideration. We continue to get trickles of information as things leak to national reporters based on the rumor mill hitting other teams. Yankees coach Luis Rojas, future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, and recent ex-Mariners manager Scott Servais have all been reportedly linked to the O’s. Servais provoked a more strenuous negative reaction around here than I expected.
Solely based on these three names, there is a variety among the candidates. A coach who formerly managed. A fired-mid-year manager. One of the game’s great legends, especially counting just 21st century players, who is looking to get into managing. I don’t know which way they will go, but it is nice to see there is consideration for some different types of guys. This is not just a search among a more or less cookie-cutter (as far as the average fan could tell) bunch of analytics-savvy coaches who do not have any managerial experience.
I continue to hope that they will make the pick soon. Today would be a great day! In a general way, I think that it would be a discouraging sign for the coming offseason if the Orioles drag their feet before every major decision, including hiring a new manager. Specific to this, they might have candidates who they like get hired by other smart teams – particularly the Padres and Braves – who have openings this offseason as well. But for the time being, it’s fine.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Before pursuing pitching, the Orioles have to decide what they can count on from within (The Baltimore Banner)
There are some assumptions being made about the incumbent starting pitchers, particularly Grayson Rodriguez and Tyler Wells, that are more optimistic than I am.
Will Orioles shift Rodriguez, Wells to bullpen? Offseason moves will tell. (The Baltimore Sun)
Although Mike Elias has surprised me before and will surely surprise me again, Rodriguez moving to the bullpen because the team just acquired SO MANY starting pitchers this offseason would really, really surprise me.
Orioles rotation target: Ranger Suárez (Orioles Review)
Excellent Orioles Bluesky follow Dan Sanchez spun up some longer-form thoughts about a possible Orioles rotation target on the free agent market this winter.
Orioles hopeful O’Neill can return to form in 2026 (Orioles.com)
I get what they’re communicating in this headline, but like, “injured and/or not doing all that well” is the Tyler O’Neill form.
On the Oriole beat: Ken Rosenthal (Baltimore Baseball)
John Eisenberg interviews his former Orioles beat partner at The Sun about what it was like to cover the team back in those days.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
One current Oriole has a birthday today. Happy 27th to outfielder Dylan Carlson. Two former Orioles also were born on this day: 2023/2025 pitcher Kyle Gibson, and 1954-55 infielder Vern Stephens.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: late night host Johnny Carson (1925), baseball Hall of Famer Jim Bunning (1931), football legend Pelé (1940), comic musician Weird Al Yankovic (1959), and actress Margaret Qualley (1994).
On this day in history…
In 42 BC, the Roman Civil War fought to avenge the murder of Caesar came to an end after the Battle of Philippi, a victory over Brutus by Mark Antony and Octavian. After the battle, Brutus committed suicide.
In 1642 AD, the first battle of the English Civil War was fought as the Royalists and Parliamentarians clashed in an evenly-matched Battle of Edgehill. As neither side won a decisive victory in the initial fight, the stage was set for a lengthy war, ultimately four years.
In 1868, Japan’s reigning Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown and imperial authority was restored by the emperor Meiji. His grandson, Hirohito, was emperor during World War II; great-grandson Akihito abdicated in 2019 in favor of great-grandson Naruhito.
In 1942, the Allies launched a two-week offensive in the Second Battle of El Alamein, a crucial battle that swung the African campaign away from the Axis. On the other side of the world, Japanese troops began a three-day assault in attempt to capture an airfield on Guadalcanal. American forces repulsed the attacks and were eventually able to secure control of the island.
In 2001, the first iPod was released by Apple.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 23. Have a safe Thursday.
