During the Orioles’ recent press conference on the Kyle Bradish contract extension, principal owner David Rubenstein made his stance on Mike Elias pretty clear. Speaking about the president of baseball operations, Rubenstein said that “we couldn’t be more pleased” with the job Elias has done.
Taken at face value, that sounds like a strong sign Elias will be back as the Orioles’ top baseball executive next season, regardless of how the rest of the year plays out. But around sports, that kind of praise can be slippery.
The familiar “vote of confidence” often lands right before a change is made, not after. Teams rarely say outright that someone is on the hot seat; they usually save that part for later.
The question now is what actually happens in Baltimore. Should Elias be expected to stay in place for next season, or is there a real chance the Orioles move on?
One view is that if the Orioles miss the postseason this year, Elias should be out at the end of the season. The argument is simple: someone else should be the one to sort out what comes next if the current approach isn’t getting the club where it needs to go.
At this point, the Orioles’ postseason odds sit at about 25%. That leaves plenty of uncertainty, and plenty of room for the front office conversation to keep growing. The hope, from that perspective, is that Rubenstein is prepared to hold someone accountable for multiple years of underachieving, even if his comments at the Bradish press conference suggested otherwise.
In Other News...
A Squirrel Completely Hijacked This Orioles Tigers Game at Comerica
A routine night at Comerica Park turned into a small wildlife spectacle when a black squirrel sprinted around the field for roughly two innings during the Orioles-Tigers game in Detroit. The interruption pulled in just about everyone who could help, from the grounds crew to players and coaches, as the animal darted across the playing surface and turned a baseball game into a chase scene.
Eventually, a grounds crew member got the squirrel under control with a towel and carried it off the field, bringing the delay to an end. Home plate umpire Bill Miller even used the public address system to thank the Tigers grounds crew for the work they put in, a fitting nod to a strange little detour that had nothing to do with the standings and everything to do with surviving the unexpected. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Fans May Hate What This Gunnar Henderson Idea Says
Gunnar Hendersons uneven season has become one of the more uncomfortable storylines in Baltimore, especially for a player who was supposed to be the centerpiece of the next great Orioles core. His production has dipped well below the standard he set, and the issues have not been limited to the batters box. The shortstop work has looked rough enough to keep the conversation from being just about timing or bad luck, and for a club that built so much of its future around his bat and athleticism, that matters.
Adley Rutschmans own slide has only sharpened the scrutiny around how Baltimore has handled its young stars. The broader criticism now is not just about two talented players going through difficult stretches, but about whether the organization has done enough to support and shape them once they reached the majors. For Orioles fans, the unsettling part is less the slump itself than the larger question it raises about what kind of long-term foundation the team really has built. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Benetti Made This Comerica Park Squirrel Moment Even Better
A routine Orioles-Tigers game at Comerica Park briefly turned into a wildlife diversion when a black squirrel made its way onto the field and interrupted the usual rhythm of the night. Before the grounds crew could get it under control, Orioles third base coach Buck Britton added to the scene by feeding the squirrel, turning a simple delay into one of those odd ballpark moments that everyone in the park seemed to notice.
Jason Benetti had plenty to work with on the broadcast as the chase unfolded, and his play-by-play helped make the scramble feel even more memorable for viewers following along. Once the squirrel was finally caught, home plate umpire Bill Miller publicly thanked the grounds crew over the microphone, wrapping up a strange little episode that fit the kind of unpredictable atmosphere only baseball can provide. [Read more 🡒]