Orioles predicted to replace Brandon Hyde with Cubs bench coach once 'beloved' by Baltimore

Hunter Cookston

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Orioles predicted to replace Brandon Hyde with Cubs bench coach once 'beloved' by Baltimore image

The Baltimore Orioles have known for some time that they would be searching for a new manager after parting ways with former manager Brandon Hyde early in the season. The Orioles fired Hyde in May following a disappointing start no one anticipated.

“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. The Orioles fell to 15-29,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.

The Orioles were expected to have another strong season, but those hopes quickly faded at the start of the year. As a result, the Orioles went down as one of the worst teams in the first half of the season.

“There is no bigger disappointment through this season's first half than the Orioles, and it probably isn't even close," ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez wrote.

Recently, the Orioles have been linked to a familiar face. Former player Ryan Flaherty has emerged as a possible managerial candidate.

“Of course, Baltimore fans won't recognize Flaherty for being the Cubs' bench coach so much as him being a beloved member of their franchise for the first six seasons of his MLB career. He produced a .215 batting average with 35 home runs, 128 RBIs, and 131 runs scored in 452 games with the Orioles from 2012 to 2017. Flaherty then spent one season with the Braves in 2018, another season with Cleveland in 2019, then became the San Diego Padres' bench coach from 2020 to 2023 before heading to Chicago,” SI’s Grant Young wrote.

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Bringing in Flaherty would mean hiring a very familiar face, but pairing a young manager with a young team might not be the best move. However, it could be a positive, as everyone would be figuring things out together.

There is always some risk with this kind of decision. Flaherty has had success in Baltimore before, so there is no doubt he could do it again.

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Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.