ORLANDO – The Orioles went through a prolonged Winter Meeting phase when they sat out the big-ticket negotiation dance and settled for the occasional under-the-radar move and a Rule 5 selection.

One year, they drafted three.

Mike Elias arrived in the front office and spent his first Winter Meetings, less than a full month on the job, interviewing candidates for manager and other important positions in the organization. He had to build analytic and international scouting departments. Fielding a winning team wasn’t on the agenda.

The sessions this week aren’t guaranteed to bear fruit, but the Orioles have become the apple of everybody's eye. They've raised expectations to a level unseen in a long time.

They made a huge splash back in 2003 by signing shortstop Miguel Tejada, the reigning American League Most Valuable Player, to a six-year, $72 million contract at the Winter Meetings in New Orleans. 

ORLANDO, Fla. – New Orioles manager Craig Albernaz is acing his first Winter Meetings.

Albernaz came across as relaxed and prepared during his 20-minute media session this afternoon, eager to share information and toss out the occasional quip.

He confirmed that Ryan Helsley will be the closer rather than working multiple innings after signing a two-year, $28 million contract with an opt-out clause. He said the coaching staff is “pretty much done” but could have a fit for one more hire. The club is trying to figure out what that would look like or whether there’s a need. He feels “great” about the club as it’s presently constructed.

“We have a great young core and we have some really good veteran pieces around it, and our coaches right now, now that we’re almost in place, they’re having great conversations with them, start getting their plans going heading into spring training,” Albernaz said. “So I feel very good.”

The No. 1 strength cited by Albernaz is the team’s pure athleticism and the engines. He isn’t ready to talk about weaknesses based solely on what he’s watched on video and gathered through the numbers.

Flights will be landing at the Orlando airport all day and night as baseball executives, managers, scouts, agents, media and other personnel descend upon the Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria for baseball’s annual Winter Meetings.

Be prepared to see the hotel referenced by multiple names. It’s already caused some confusion because it’s a combined facility with shared conference rooms. But it’s got to be easier than navigating the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, where employees at the front desk hand you a map, wish you luck and offer a small blessing as you walk away.

The agenda is pretty much the same, with only a few small tweaks.

Check into your room and quickly ascertain whether the Ravens-Steelers game is available to watch on television.

Find the lobby bar and quickly ascertain whether the Ravens-Steelers game is available to watch on television.

Though there isn’t necessarily any intent, the Orioles are trending toward hiring full-time managers with catching backgrounds.

That’s two in a row.

Brandon Hyde was a catcher at Long Beach State and in the White Sox’s system. Craig Albernaz developed a reputation as a plus defender with a cannon arm behind the plate at Eckerd College and in nine minor league seasons, the first eight with the Rays.

Hyde had Tim Cossins as his catching instructor and Fredi González and Robinson Chirinos as bench coaches before his dismissal on May 17. The revamped staff under Albernaz includes Joe Singley as field coordinator and catching coach and Hank Conger as bullpen coach.

Conger is the more familiar name to baseball fans after playing five seasons with the Angels and one each with the Astros and Rays. Singley is 28 years old, making him unique by coaching standards. He played at Coastal Carolina and began his coaching career at the school before working as Reds assistant catching coach and bullpen catcher for two seasons and Marlins catching coach, assistant catching director and bullpen catcher this year.

Craig Albernaz is almost done reaching out to his players, one of the important tasks for any new manager. He’s going through the phone numbers, introducing himself and starting the bonding process that will carry over to spring training in a few months. He doesn't want to be a total stranger to them on the report dates. 

“I’m almost at the finish line,” Albernaz said last night as a call-in guest on the “Orioles Hot Stove Show” on WBAL Radio, which was broadcast live from Rye Street Tavern.

“It’s been awesome to connect with the guys. A lot of energy, a lot of focus work in the offseason. So it’s one of those things where, when you have those conversations, you can’t not be excited to get to spring training and get to work.”

Albernaz has watched president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias fortify the bullpen with set-up man Andrew Kittredge and closer Ryan Helsley and the middle of the lineup with power-hitting outfielder Taylor Ward. And there are more boxes to check.

“Real excited,” Albernaz said. “Mike and his group, they’re working to getting the team better and making these additions. When you add a right-handed bat and a presence in the lineup like Taylor Ward, how can you not be excited? And the same thing with Ryan Helsley. And the cool part with Helz is that, he was a high priority free agent for a lot of teams and he made the decision to choose us, and that’s something we don’t take lightly here. And I thanked him for it.”

On the same day that the Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde, they also dismissed Tim Cossins, a close friend who served as major league field coordinator and catching instructor. The title wasn’t attached to anyone else on the staff. It just disappeared like the man behind it. 

The Orioles are in the process of hiring coaches for new manager Craig Albernaz, with the only confirmed addition being Dustin Lind as hitting coach. We’ll find out whether field coordinator and catching instructor are making a return.

Hyde and bench coach Robinson Chirinos also were former catchers. Chirinos won’t return.

Albernaz caught in college and in the minors, with arm strength and accuracy that became legendary for the people close to him. Everyone’s got a story. The ink hadn’t dried on his contract with the Orioles before media and fans began wondering how he might influence the careers of Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo.

Rutschman is a two-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year runner-up whose offense has declined since the All-Star break in 2024. The two oblique injuries didn’t allow him to get on any sort of roll.

Baseball – a game that spans generations around the globe – is a vast world. And yet, sometimes we discover hidden connections that make it seem oh so tiny.

Much like that Disneyland theme ride says: It’s a small world after all.

When the Nationals announced Blake Butera as their eighth manager last week, very few people (if any) in local circles knew much about the 33-year-old former senior director of player development with the Rays.

In fact, even the guy who hired him, new Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, had only heard about Butera without ever meeting him prior to the interview process, though he did scout Butera as a draft prospect coming out of Boston College in 2015.

“We didn't know each other personally,” Toboni explained Tuesday during a Zoom call with reporters to discuss his first major hire. “I heard a lot about him, actually, even though I'm not much older than him (35), I scouted him when he was at Boston College. We just have a lot of mutual connections where I'm actually surprised that I had never met him prior to this process kicking off. So many mutual connections. I can't remember exactly the first time I really heard about him, but there had been a number of people over the years that had told me about Blake. I really went into this process having an understanding of what I thought it was going to be like, but didn't honestly know until I really hopped into it. I'm really fortunate that we did reach out to interview him because he blew me away throughout the process.”

The Orioles began yesterday with a full 40-man roster and finished it with a full 40-man roster.

Many of the names changed.

Pitchers Félix Bautista, Grayson Rodriguez and Brandon Young were reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Pitcher Anthony Nunez had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk to protect him in the Rule 5 draft, ahead of the deadline to do so. Cuban outfielder Pedro León was claimed on waivers from the Astros. Outfielder Leody Taveras signed a $2 million contract.

Outfielder Dylan Carlson elected free agency. The Orioles declined infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo’s $5.5 million option. Pitchers Josh Walker and Carson Ragsdale were designated for assignment. Pitcher Shawn Dubin was outrighted to Norfolk and became a free agent. The Mets claimed left-hander José Castillo on waivers.

Six added and six subtracted.

Craig Albernaz brought his three children on the honeymoon phase of his hiring as Orioles manager.

The family posed for photos this week on the Camden Yards field, with sons CJ and Norman and 2-year-old daughter Gigi wearing their nicest clothes and batting helmets.

“I’ve got an eagle right here,” Gigi said, pointing at the bird.

Albernaz gently corrected her.

“That’s an Oriole,” he said.

Perhaps this was the plan all along.

Trade four relievers at the deadline and then try to bring them back one at a time.

Andrew Kittredge is walking through that door again, after the Orioles reacquired him yesterday from the Cubs for cash considerations. Kittredge was dealt on July 31 for teenage Dominican shortstop Wilfri De La Cruz, though the $9 million option on his contract made him controllable for a team hoping to contend in 2026.

So, to review: President of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias loaned Kittredge to the Cubs and got the No. 20 or 24 prospect in the organization, depending on whether you trust Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. That’s pretty savvy.

De La Cruz, a switch-hitter praised for his advanced offensive approach, signed for $2.3 million in January, the largest bonus in the Cubs' 2025 international class and the ninth highest on the entire market. He appeared in 12 games with the Orioles’ Dominican Summer League team and posted a .509 on-base percentage, going 8-for-34 with two doubles, a triple and 20 walks.

The introduction of new Orioles manager Craig Albernaz earlier today revealed his sense of humor, passion for the game and the lives he’s intersected with along the way, and how family always is going to be a huge part of who he is both on and off the field.

His first managing act was sitting through a nearly 44-minute press conference with attention split among media and his 2-year-old daughter Gigi, who held and occasionally dropped her Oriole Bird bobblehead and a bottled water meant more as a toy than a means of hydration, engaged in cute conversations with her mother Genevieve and eventually was lifted up by control owner David Rubenstein and handed to Albernaz, who sat her on his lap, kissed her and whispered to her at one point so he could finish his answer.

Handling a 26-man clubhouse should be a breeze.

The crowd also included young sons CJ (8) and Norman (6), and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt and his wife Alyssa, who left her seat for a while to play with Gigi away from the dais.

“My kids are the greatest gift I can ever, ever have,” Albernaz said, before his daughter interrupted.

Baseball’s offseason calendar is loaded with significant dates. A few others develop over the course of the fall and winter.

Today is a prime example.

The media will be introduced to new manager Craig Albernaz at a press conference at Camden Yards that airs live on MASN beginning at 11 a.m. President of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias and control owner David Rubenstein also will attend.

Albernaz can explain why he viewed the Orioles as a good match. Everything he knows about the organization and what he’s got to learn. Whether he’s spoken to any of his players. His level of confidence that a turnaround is imminent for a team that finished in last place.

What did Albernaz observe about the Orioles from the opposite dugout?

New Orioles manager Craig Albernaz delivered his first message to the fan base yesterday via the team’s social media accounts. Light in length but with a thick Boston accent.

“Can’t wait to see all you guys out at Camden Yards this year to watch our boys go out there to compete,” Albernaz said in the nine-second video.

The Orioles hope that they made a wicked good hire.

Albernaz spent the past two seasons as Guardians bench coach and associate manager under Stephen Vogt, and the team won back-to-back Central Division titles after finishing third in 2023. Vogt was chosen as the American League’s Manager of the Year in ’24.

The Guardians went 4-3 against the Orioles this summer. They had a healthier roster and much better pitching, registering a 3.70 ERA compared to the Orioles’ 4.60. Cleveland’s 3.44 bullpen ERA was third in the majors. The Orioles, decimated at the deadline, were 25^th at 4.57.

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.

The first managerial hire for Mike Elias in December 2018 presented Brandon Hyde with his first opportunity in the majors after serving as a coach and working in a variety of roles in the minors. He was tasked with guiding the Orioles, coming off a 115-loss season, through a painful rebuild and back into contention. Deficiencies in the roster were part of the inheritance.

The second managerial hire for Elias has given Craig Albernaz his first chance in the majors after serving as a coach and associate manager and working in a variety of roles in the minors. He’s tasked with orchestrating an immediate turnaround from last place to the playoffs. Anything less is unacceptable.

A daunting task? Anyone who’s familiar with Albernaz’s ascension from non-drafted catcher to his current post is confident that he’s ready for the challenge, that he’s absolutely the right man for the job.

Mitch Lukevics was on the ground floor as Tampa Bay’s farm director for 14 seasons. The Rays needed a catcher in camp after an unexpected retirement. Lukevics phoned scouting director R.J. Harrison, who was at a showcase with one of his Florida scouts. Albernaz played at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and got a recommendation that seemed to come out of nowhere.

“Let’s go, sign him up,” Lukevics said.

Craig Albernaz is officially the 21st manager in Orioles history.

Like his predecessors Brandon Hyde and Tony Mansolino, Albernaz does not have any big league managerial experience. He most recently sat as the associate manager for the Guardians, a role that he was promoted to after serving as Cleveland’s bench coach in 2024.

So without a track record as a manager to lean on and with about a week until we hear from Albernaz at his introductory press conference, we’re left with gathering bits and pieces of information where we can.

Let’s start with Albernaz’s previous coaching experience, which isn’t terribly expansive, given the fact that he was playing in the minor leagues as recently as 2014. 

His coaching career began just one year later with the Rays, the organization that he spent a majority of his minor league career with. After starting as a hitting coach, Albernaz got his first experience as a skipper in 2017, managing the Yankees’ High-A affiliate Hudson Valley Renegades and leading them to a Penn League championship. 

The hiring is official.

Craig Albernaz is the 21^st manager in Orioles history, with the announcement coming early this afternoon.

News broke late last night that the club was finalizing a deal with Albernaz, who spent the 2024 season as Guardians bench coach and 2025 as associate manager.

“We are elated to welcome Craig Albernaz as the next manager of the Orioles and our leader on the field,” president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias said in a statement. “Craig has built an exemplary career across multiple successful organizations and brings a tremendous amount of experience, knowledge, and talent to our organization and to this new challenge. We believe he is the right person at the right time to elevate our baseball operations and guide our team back to the playoffs and a World Series championship.”

A big leap is required after the Orioles finished in last place this season with a 75-87 record following back-to-back playoff appearances.

Any business conducted by the Orioles this month is mostly done behind closed doors with limited or no information available, especially interviews for the managerial position. The process was advancing, but very quietly.

It's almost finished. The secrecy has broken apart.

A source confirmed this afternoon that the Orioles interviewed Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz for the job and expected him to be hired. Multiple reports tonight have the Orioles finalizing a deal with Albernaz, who will inherit a team that went 75-87 and sat in the cellar of the American League East.

Albernaz will become the 21st manager in Orioles history, not counting interims, since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954. He was Cleveland's bench coach in 2024 before earning a promotion. The Massachusetts native was a finalist for the managing job that went to Stephen Vogt.

The Washington Post reported that Albernaz interviewed for the Nationals job within the last week. So did Brandon Hyde, hired by the Orioles in December 2018 and fired in May after back-to-back playoff appearances. Hyde was a two-time Sporting News Manager of the Year in the American League before the Orioles tumbled into last place this season.