Albert Pujols in the Orbit of the Baltimore Orioles for Manager
The Baltimore Orioles, in search of a new manager to lead their young and promising team, have shown interest in the legendary first baseman Albert Pujols, according to sources close to the organization.
Although an interview with Pujols has not yet been formalized, it is expected to occur shortly, while the Orioles are looking for a replacement for Brandon Hyde, who was fired at the beginning of a disappointing 87-loss season in 2025. Tony Mansolino, who took over as interim manager after Hyde’s departure in May, is among the candidates for the full-time position, but the Orioles are also conducting an external search.
Mike Elias, Orioles’ president of baseball operations, was a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals during the time Pujols shined for the organization in the second half of the 2000s. Pujols, 45 years old, still maintains a close relationship with his former teammate Matt Holliday, father of Jackson Holliday, the young 21-year-old infielder who is now one of the Orioles’ mainstays.
The Los Angeles Angels still seem to be the most likely destination for Pujols and remain the only team he has formally interviewed with, according to industry sources. Pujols met with Angels general manager Perry Minasian in St. Louis last Thursday and is still highly regarded for the position, although former All-Star outfielder Torii Hunter is also a serious candidate. However, the Angels’ hiring process could be affected by the involvement of owner Arte Moreno and president John Carpino in the civil trial over the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
Just a couple of years ago, the Orioles looked like a team on the rise, emerging from an aggressive rebuild to win 101 games and capture the American League East title in 2023. They returned to the playoffs with a 91-win season in 2024, but were swept in the wild card round and were not aggressive in their pursuit of starting pitchers during the following offseason. A 15-28 start led to Hyde’s firing on May 17.
The following 4 and a half months weren’t much better, but the Orioles are nonetheless an attractive destination due to a promising young core of position players including Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Coby Mayo, and Samuel Basallo. They are currently among eight teams with managerial vacancies, along with the Angels, the Atlanta Braves, the San Francisco Giants, the Washington Nationals, the San Diego Padres, the Colorado Rockies, and the Minnesota Twins.
Pujols has expressed a strong interest in managing at the Major League level for years and led a Dominican winter league team, the Leones del Escogido, to a championship in January. Pujols was previously named manager of his native Dominican Republic in next year’s World Baseball Classic, although he would likely relinquish that role if he gets a job in the Major Leagues this offseason.
