The Baltimore Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde in May after a brutal 15-29 start, and with just a month and a half left in the regular season, they’re starting to look at potential replacements. One name that’s getting attention is David Ross, who got caught in the crossfire when the Cubs made their move for Craig Counsell.
“The Baltimore Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde on Saturday, hoping a new leader can spark a turnaround of the most disappointing team in Major League Baseball. Hyde, who had managed the Orioles through the end of their rebuild and helped lead them to the past two postseasons, oversaw an underwhelming start.”
That’s quite a fall for a team that’s been building something special with their young core. Hyde shepherded Baltimore through the rebuild and got them to back-to-back postseasons, but this year just wasn’t working.
Ross makes sense as a candidate. The two-time World Series champion managed the Cubs for four seasons, going 262-284 while navigating them through their own rebuild. He got Chicago to their first winning season since 2019 when they went over .500 in 2023.
But then Counsell became available.
“The Chicago Cubs fired manager David Ross and hired Craig Counsell on Monday. The longtime Milwaukee Brewers manager was lured to Chicago with a record-setting five-year, $40 million contract.”
That’s the reality of the business. Ross was doing the job, but when a manager of Counsell’s caliber hits the market, teams act fast. Chicago’s $40 million offer made that decision pretty easy.
Now Ross is looking for his next opportunity, and Baltimore could be it. The Orioles have exactly what any manager would want – young, exciting talent that’s already proven it can compete. Call to the Pen’s Brandon Glick sees the fit:
“Ross went 262-284 in his four seasons managing the Cubs, successfully navigating them through a rebuild and helping them earn their first winning season (in 2023) since 2019. As a two-time World Series champion, Ross would be a good fit for any of the available openings.”
The timing works too. Ross has experience managing young players through the development process, which is exactly where Baltimore sits right now. Their prospects aren’t prospects anymore – they’re Major League contributors who need someone to help them take the next step.
After this season’s disappointment, the Orioles fanbase is ready for someone to unlock this group’s potential. Ross showed he could do that in Chicago, even if the front office ultimately went in a different direction.
The question is whether Baltimore will make that call. With so much talent already in place, the right manager could make all the difference in 2026.
