đź’Ą BREAKING NEWS: Former Orioles manager is now expected to join the Rays’ staff in a surprising coaching move ⚡.MH
A notable shakeup in the American League East’s coaching landscape is taking shape this offseason.
According to Robert Murray of FanSided, former Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is expected to join the Tampa Bay Rays’ coaching staff for the 2026 season.
Hyde served as the Orioles’ manager from 2019 to 2025, overseeing the club’s transformation from multiple 100-loss seasons to a full-scale resurgence. Under his guidance, Baltimore returned to the postseason for the first time since 2016 and made back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024. The peak of his tenure came in 2023, when the Orioles won 101 games — their first 100-win season since 1980 — and captured their first division title since 2014.
Despite those accomplishments, Baltimore entered 2025 with high expectations and stumbled to a 15–28 start, leading to Hyde’s dismissal in May in favor of interim manager Tony Mansolino. Hyde finished his seven-year run in Baltimore with a 421–492 record, but his reputation remained strong; he was widely respected in the clubhouse and earned American League Manager of the Year honors in 2023.
His firing surprised many around the league, especially given the role he played in developing the Orioles’ young core and guiding the franchise’s turnaround. However, with new ownership under David Rubenstein taking over in 2024, the organization appeared to be operating under elevated expectations and a desire to reset its leadership.
Brandon Hyde joining the Rays’ coaching staff
Although it is unknown what specific role Hyde will take on Tampa Bay’s staff, his presence and perspective will undoubtedly be valued by longtime manager Kevin Cash. Hyde has long been regarded as a players’ manager, known for his ability to connect with his clubhouse on a personal level.
Hyde is also known for blending analytics with his own feel for the game, often managing based on his eyes and instincts — a contrast to Cash, who has become closely associated with the Rays’ analytics-driven approach.
Before his firing in May, Hyde was asked about the Orioles’ offensive struggles and how he evaluates performance. His response underscored his instinct-driven approach.
“Definitely not exit velocity. I’m looking at the competitiveness of at-bats, the ability to swing at strikes. … I don’t look at how hard we’re hitting balls or anything like that. I think that’s great and sexy, but for me, it’s not winning baseball,” Hyde said.
Hyde’s new team, the Rays, is coming off a season nearly as disappointing as Baltimore’s. Tampa Bay finished only two games better than the Orioles and ended the year in fourth place in a stacked AL East.
Meanwhile, the Orioles hired Hyde’s successor this offseason, with Craig Albernaz taking the reins as the team’s new manager. Albernaz previously served as bench coach and associate manager under Stephen Vogt, who won the last two American League Manager of the Year awards after Hyde earned the honor in 2023.
Albernaz will be tasked with succeeding where Hyde fell short, guiding Baltimore not only back to the postseason but toward winning its first playoff series since 2014.
