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The Orioles can move on from one of the tallest orders of their offseason business, the box at the top of the to-do list checked because of the importance of its timing. They have a manager. The interim tag is ripped away. They couldn’t wait too long to make the decision.

The swiftness was expected but a little surprising that the club made the announcement before Game 3 of the World Series. Most estimations placed the date shortly after the last champagne cork was popped. Or on the next off-day at the earliest. But the news broke late Sunday night as the Orioles were finalizing their deal with Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz.  

Would they seek out a manager with past major league experience and a track record? We now know that they were most impressed with another first-timer, and that they interviewed others who hadn’t done the job at this level, including former Orioles infielder Ryan Flaherty.

More information on their decision will be available Tuesday during the introductory press conference that also will include control owner David Rubenstein and president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias.

Albernaz wasn’t really linked to the Orioles before Sunday, a testament to the club’s ability to keep its business under wraps. At the most, Albernaz was a speculated candidate who interviewed with other teams and built a solid reputation over the years, with his stock rising after working with Gabe Kapler in San Francisco and Stephen Vogt in Cleveland.

He made absolute sense for the Orioles given how they operate, with their desire to put someone in the dugout who’s comfortable with the data streaming to him, brings a development mentality, connects with younger players and isn’t stubbornly set in his ways.

Don’t confuse it with being a puppet for the front office. Albernaz wouldn’t take the job if strings were attached.

Of course, he wanted to be a major league manager, but he removed himself from consideration for a couple of jobs last offseason and stayed with the Guardians, who bumped him from bench coach to associate manager. He saw the Orioles as an ideal fit and a place where he could win. Where he was free to be himself and bring the tools that also attracted other organizations.

He’s likely to confirm it next week.

Brandon Hyde was a popular choice back in December 2018, with industry folks and baseball analysts lauding the hire. Hyde paid his dues. He held many different jobs in baseball to prepare him for the task. He was a good guy. The news was celebrated.

Albernaz is attracting the same responses and hot takes. The Orioles happily would mimic what the Guardians have become, though they’d also like to join the division. But it isn’t just the association with a former employer, one of the smartest in baseball, that fuels his popularity. His attitude, aptitude, work ethic, leadership, sense of humor, intelligence, adaptability, skills at building relationships – all of it earns high marks and leads people close to him to believe that he will seize the opportunity.

Whether expectations become reality isn’t solely up to Albernaz. Hyde couldn’t mask the flaws with his roster, which were compounded by stacks of injuries. The rotation didn’t have a bona fide ace after Corbin Burnes left and while Kyle Bradish was busy rehabbing from reconstructive elbow surgery. Grayson Rodriguez possesses the ceiling to become that guy but not any proof. He hasn’t pitched since July 31, 2024.

Elias has a few other boxes to check. Finding at least one starter is a priority, someone to slot anywhere from first to third in the rotation. The higher the better. A depth type of move also is possible. Can’t ever have too much pitching.

Albernaz can’t function with the current bullpen. It’s got to be rebuilt, and that includes a closer.

The hire sparked immediate chatter about Albernaz’s ability to get more out of the core. Catchy, isn’t it? And his elite defensive skills as a former college and minor league catcher should prove beneficial to Samuel Basallo’s development.  

He wasn’t much of a hitter. There are limits.

At the end of the day, it’s up to the players to perform. Albernaz can put them in positions to succeed, but he can’t throw the ball or field it. He can’t swing the bats or run the bases. He can’t protect them from every pulled hamstring, oblique or intercoastal.

This year’s coaching staff had Cody Asche, Tommy Joseph and Sherman Johnson in place to work with the hitters, and Drew French, Mitch Plassmeyer and Ryan Klimek with the pitchers. Joseph and Johnson won’t return, per sources. Buck Britton has a year left on his contract after going from major league coach to third base coach and infield instructor. Doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed a job. No word yet on his fate. 

Elias will be asked next week about any changes. Maybe he won’t be ready to commit, but he’s got to comment.

Albernaz was expected to want at least some of his own people, which I’d assume had been discussed. The Orioles might want to inject more experience into the staff than in 2025, when they didn’t renew bench coach Fredi González’s contract. They hired John Mabry as a senior advisor to assist interim manager Tony Mansolino, whose bench coach was first-timer Robinson Chirinos.

Put Albernaz in a position to succeed.