Orioles next manager must fix this flaw that has cost them countless games

The Baltimore Orioles have a lot to address this offseason, and it would be foolish to believe it comes down to a single, easy fix. The pitching staff is crying out for reinforcements, both in the rotation and in the bullpen. The lineup is missing veteran power after trades thinned the roster. But while those areas may get the headlines, there’s another glaring issue that has quietly bled wins all season: defense. 

You can’t just plug in a bat and call it progress — the Orioles have to overhaul the way they think about run prevention, both with the gloves already on the roster and with any players they bring in this winter. This is where the conversation about Baltimore’s next manager becomes critical. Whoever takes over the dugout isn’t just inheriting a young team that needs direction — they’re inheriting one of the worst defensive clubs in baseball.

Orioles’ next manager inherits one of MLB’s worst defenses

The 2025 Orioles are currently ranked 25th in Outs Above Average, 27th in Defensive Runs Saved, and are near the bottom of the league in both fielding percentage and errors. That’s not a blip, that’s a pattern. The lack of range, sloppy mistakes, and the overall inability to convert balls in play into outs have cost them countless close games. When your pitching staff already needs support, the last thing you can afford is a defense that turns routine innings into rallies.

For fans, it’s been frustrating to watch. The metrics confirm what everyone’s eyes have been telling them all year: this team doesn’t have the defensive chops to survive against the league’s elite.

That’s why this offseason can’t just be about adding offense or patching holes in the rotation. The Orioles’ front office has to start valuing defense on the same level as OPS or strikeout rates. That means asking hard questions: do they pursue free agents who can actually save runs in the field, players in the mold of a Harrison Bader? Or do they finally commit to giving opportunities to prospects who may not carry big bats, but who bring reliability and steadiness with the glove? However they approach it, defense has to be front and center in every roster decision for 2026.

Because if there’s one thing the 2025 season proved, it’s that you can’t outslug defensive shortcomings every night. Baltimore’s next manager will have plenty on their plate, but the message has to be clear from the jump: defensive discipline is non-negotiable. Until the Orioles clean that up, all the offensive potential in the world won’t stop the same frustrating script from playing out.

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