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The Baltimore Orioles have a new manager, and by all accounts, Craig Albernaz was a good hire. Albernaz may not have been the name Orioles fans were most familiar with, but his profile has been on the ascent in recent seasons, including being a finalist for the Cleveland Guardians' job in 2023. Still, some Orioles fans are wondering why there was no homecoming for fan-favorite Ryan Flaherty.
Flaherty is currently the bench coach for Craig Counsell with the Chicago Cubs, but has been a leading candidate for several openings this offseason. Flaherty is a finalist for the Minnesota Twins' managerial vacancy and is believed to be a strong candidate for the San Diego Padres' opening.
Orioles’ choice to snub Ryan Flaherty might have a painfully simple reason
First and foremost, two of those openings are not like the other one. The Orioles want to return to contention in 2026, but that is putting a level of trust in Mike Elias that he doesn't deserve.
The Minnesota Twins had a fire sale at the MLB trade deadline last season, and appear to be at least a season or two away from returning to contention. Meanwhile, the Padres reached the playoffs and have a front office that is aggressively focused on contention each season.
If you're Flaherty, the decision is rather simple. The Padres have a star-studded roster, and while they may not leap over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, they have a clear path to the playoffs in 2026. For a first-year manager, that is an extremely soft landing.
Even if Orioles fans wanted to point to the fact that Flaherty played most of his career in Baltimore, he has connections in San Diego. Before joining Counsell in Chicago, Flaherty began his coaching career in San Diego.
Lastly, we have to point to the financial aspect of that. A highly respected candidate for several openings this offseason, Flaherty's agent likely had started somewhat of a bidding war for his client. One thing is certain for the Orioles: when the cheap path is available, that is the direction they will head in.