Orioles should take the Astros' example and get rid Mike Elias before 2026 ends

It's hard to look at Mike Elias' career and say it has been totally successful. Hired before the 2019 season, he took a team that won 47 games the season prior and started a rebuild. He's in his eighth season in charge, and he's only made the playoffs twice. It feels like the team already peaked under his watch, too.

It took until 2023 for Baltimore to make its first foray into October under Elias (the first time since 2016). They won the AL East with a 101-61 record, then would promptly be swept by the eventual World Series Champion Rangers in three games. They made it to the postseason with a Wild Card berth in 2024, and lost two straight to the Royals. They missed the playoffs in 2025, and look to be on the verge of missing them again in 2026.

To give credit where credit is due, Elias completely rebuilt the Orioles farm system and fostered a new wave of young talent that became the core of those two playoff teams. He did well in the draft, picking Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser, Jackson Holiday and others. It's been his inability to build around them and maintain a sustainable winner that has fans upset with him.

Mike Elias already started Orioles' teardown, but he shouldn't be able to finish it

Three years ago, it looked like all the work that Elias had done to reshape the roster had paid off, even though they were swept in the playoffs. A few years later, Elias traded away a key piece of that core in Rutschman; the rumors are swirling around Henderson trades, and there are real questions about whether the Orioles are heading into another rebuild/re-tool. Before it gets that far, ownership should take a page from the Astros and fire Elias. Houston recently parted with general manager Dana Brown despite the fact they were leading the AL West at the time.

The Orioles have the core and the prospects, but it's time to find the right man at the helm. Elias hasn't shown he can push the right buttons and find the right pieces. The Astros hold a playoff spot, but Houston's ownership decided Dana Brown hadn't done a good enough job and decided to get out in front of the decision. If it's not good enough in Houston, then why is it good enough in Baltimore?

The O's are on the outside looking in; it's going to take an extremely impressive final month to make the playoffs as they trail the Guardians by 1.5 games for the final Wild Card spot (and are battling all of the Blue Jays, Rangers and Twins, who are right there with them). Part ways with Elias now and start the search so there's no scrambling when the offseason starts. They can make the hire and the new head of baseball can hit the ground running on supplementing this core.

It might seem a bit unpopular because the O's have turned it around, but at this point if they are able to sneak into the postseason it'll feel a lot more like luck rather than a sound process.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow