Orioles interim manager gets major boost as players rally behind him

Despite a disappointing 2025 season, the Baltimore Orioles remain an intriguing franchise due to their wealth of young talent and potential manager vacancy. The Orioles’ 15-28 start to the season was bad enough to get Brandon Hyde axed, but the pleasantly surprising wrinkle in Baltimore’s manager situation is that interim skipper Tony Mansolino has done a good enough job in 2025 to deserve serious consideration for the full-time position.

While the Orioles' manager vacancy would be arguably the most coveted job opening in Major League Baseball this offseason, Mansolino’s performance since taking over may have placed him head and shoulders above other potential candidates.

Even if Baltimore gets swept by the New York Yankees this weekend to end their season, Mansolino will have ended the campaign with a winning record as interim manager. The 42-year-old had a 60-56 record at the helm of the Orioles entering Friday, and what’s more, Baltimore entered Friday with a 14-8 record in September, contradicting its status as a non-playoff club in 2025.

Mansolino has gracefully and successfully handled the task of organizing a messy situation left in Hyde’s wake. Even more impressive, he's kept the Orioles competitive despite intense roster turnover (nine big leaguers were traded before the deadline). Mansolino has taken a no-nonsense, blunt approach to communicating with his players — particularly when they are struggling — and it’s made him a widely respected figure in the Orioles’ young clubhouse.

Orioles players indicate that they want Tony Mansolino’s interim tag removed

Per MLB.com’s Jake Rill, multiple Orioles players have praised Mansolino in recent days, and the general vibe is that Baltimore’s clubhouse would love for Mansolino to return as a full-time skipper in 2026.

Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg, and Coby Mayo each had positive things to say about Mansolino.

“I don’t think anyone wishes to be in the situation that he was put in,” Holliday said, per Rill. “I think he’s done a great job of handling everything that’s been going on. I’ve enjoyed playing for him and hope to be able to play for him again next year if the opportunity is there for him, and I’d hope that they give him some consideration.”

“We’ve played well since he’s been (manager), and he’s done a phenomenal job,” Henderson added, per Rill. “I really enjoy playing for him. So yeah, I feel like he’s fully deserving of it. He was the same person day-in and day-out, and he still is to this day. That’s something that I know we all appreciate.”

“We all have a really good relationship with him,” Cowser said, per Rill. “It’s one of those things that, as players, we really like him -- but also, it’s up to the front office. So they’re going to do what they feel is right for the organization, but … we really like him.”

“Tony’s one of the most professional men I’ve met,” Westburg said, per Rill. “It’s no surprise to me that he’s been able to lead this ship. I expected him to take over and be exactly who I knew him to be and lead this team in the right direction, and he’s done exactly that.”

"He’s very straight up,” Mayo added, per Rill. “He’s very forward; he doesn’t lie to you. He will tell you exactly how it is. A lot of the players back him and say that he’s done a great job. We got rid of our whole team, and I feel like we’ve played some of our best baseball post-Trade Deadline.”

Orioles players are clearly throwing their full support behind the idea of Mansolino becoming the club’s next manager. That doesn’t guarantee that Baltimore’s front office will bring back Mansolino, but it certainly raises the bar to great heights for anyone on the outside whom the Orioles might be considering.

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