Just over three years ago, Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias fielded a weak grounder and fired to first to retire Trevor Story. This was the final out of the Orioles’ 100th win of the season, as well as the division clincher. The team had gone from 110 losses to 101 wins in two seasons.
What feels like a lifetime later, the Orioles’ 2026 season ended with a rain delay, then a cancellation. After seasons where it felt like general manager Mike Elias could do no wrong, Birdland now calls for his replacement.
Debriefing
Baltimore finished the season with 79 wins, a four-win improvement from the disastrous 2025 season. Although Mike Elias never claimed this season represented an all-in push, his offseason strategy said otherwise. At the Winter Meetings, Pete Alonso inked a 5-year, $155 million contract with the team, by far the biggest of Mike Elias’s tenure. The team also traded a big haul for RHP Shane Baz from the Rays, signed CP Ryan Helsley, traded for OF Taylor Ward, and signed RHP Chris Bassitt.
In making these moves, the Orioles shed a lot of prospects and young talent, including former top-10 prospect pitcher Grayson Rodriguez. The messaging was simple: the 2025 outcome was unacceptable. Baltimore had hoped the new power-based lineup paired with the revamped rotation could bring them back into contention.
It’s hard to identify a single reason why these plans failed. Pete Alonso held up his end of the bargain, winning the home run and RBI titles in the American League. Shane Baz posted a 4.11 earned run average and a 6-15 record due to poor run support. Taylor Ward was gone at the deadline. Helsley missed most of the season.
Beyond that, the Orioles’ homegrown talent just didn’t cut it. Gunnar Henderson had his worst season yet, posting a .715 OPS. Former No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday still hasn’t taken the leap expected of him. Former top prospect Samuel Basallo flashed yet again but missed significant time with injury. Further, Trevor Rodgers did not solidify himself as the ace the Orioles expected.
Going Forward
Any optimism left from the 2023 season died when star catcher Adley Rustchman, the engine of the Orioles rebuild, was dealt at the deadline for a haul of prospects from Boston. Baltimore simply staggered their way through the rest of the season, never getting any further than a game over .500. So far, there has been no indication that Mike Elias’s tenure will end this offseason. The Orioles find themselves yet again reeling from a season of underachieving.
It isn’t all doom and gloom. Young players like the aforementioned Basallo or third baseman Coby Mayo are legitimately exciting power bats, and the team retains control over Baz for a few years as he hopefully progresses. Alonso has retained his status as one of the best power hitters in baseball. The Orioles cannot just sit idly by and hope for more progression, nor can they bet on such an exceptionally weak American League going forward.
Elias must find a way to add consistency to the team outside of Alonso. Neither he nor the Orioles can afford to be at the mercy of players like Henderson or Holliday playing to their potential. Time will tell if the Orioles will pursue the offseason as aggressively as last year, with the current regime’s employment in the balance. Three years later, the Orioles are a long, long way from that AL East division title, and whether a path back exists is unclear. They must make legitimate strides toward contention, with the future of Baltimore baseball hanging in the balance.
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