Ex-Reds GM takes a sharp jibe at Orioles exec Mike Elias before advising a major roster overhaul

Manager Brandon Hyde's dismissal means Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias is also on a short leash following a dismal start to the season. After making two straight postseason appearances, the club has fallen flat to begin the 2025 season, possessing a 15-31 record, which is only better than the struggling Chicago White Sox in the American League.

The Orioles didn't do much in the offseason, which saw two of their mainstays, Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander, take deals with other teams in free agency. As such, Elias' status may also be questioned for offseason inactivity.

Former Cincinnati Reds GM Jason La Canfora considers Elias a "problem" to the Orioles. The former MLB executive went on a full-blown rant against Elias, suggesting what he would do if he were the Orioles GM.

"But it can't be him. This guy can't do it. He's (Mike Elias) the problem. How's the problem gonna fix itself when he won’t even admit it's a problem?" La Canfora said on Foul Territory.

When asked who he would trade ahead of the deadline, La Canfora said:

"Everyone. Ledger, Mellon's gone. Eflin, Senga, Jorge Mateo, Ryan O’Hearn. I mean, whatever you can get from Mountcastle — they waited way too long for that. They should've traded him when he hit 30 home runs. Again, this isn't revisionist history. I talk about this stuff four hours a day, five days a week. And you can check my Twitter feed too — it's all timestamped.

"I mean, everything that's not nailed down — like Bautista — I would absolutely trade Bautista. They like doing business with the Phillies; they get fleeced all the time."

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Players react to Brandon Hyde's dismissal by the Orioles

It wasn't an easy decision, but somebody needed to take the fall for an unimaginable start. Two years after Brandon Hyde was named the AL Manager of the Year, he is once again without a job.

Hyde was the first manager for many of the current crops of Orioles, including catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

“It's tough. You hear about stuff like this happening, but to be a part of it's definitely different,” Rutschman said. “I build relationships with people in baseball. You become really close and feel like a family with everyone on the team and front office, training staff, coaches and analytics department, all of it.

"We view it as one, and it’s tough. He’s put me in a lot of great positions to succeed, and I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done,” Henderson said. “I hate it for him and his family.”

Second season shortstop Jackson Holliday believes it's the players' responsibility to perform, and they have let Hyde down.

“I think everyone understands that. He’s not the one playing the games. We’re the ones playing the games,” Holliday said. “We haven’t lived up to our expectations, and it’s difficult.”

In the interim, third baseman coach Tony Mansolino will take over the managerial duties of the Orioles.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra