BALTIMORE, Md. — The Baltimore Orioles will not be playing postseason baseball for the second year in a row, and the organization is conducting a full review of what went wrong in 2026.
Orioles President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Elias addressed the disappointing season Monday at Camden Yards.
"This was a very disappointing season for us. Our expectations were high. The results did not come in that we expected. Results need to be better and this is the second year in a row that they haven't been there to this degree and we're tired of it," Elias said.
Despite a significant offseason that included hiring Craig Albernaz as a first-time manager, the Orioles won only four more games in 2026 than the previous year.
"This is a very busy time of year. You'd much rather be busy in the playoffs and everything that entails and so it's a very bitter feeling especially to be doing this two years in a row now and it's a full organizational review," Elias said.
The season was not without bright spots. Pete Alonso, signed ahead of the 2026 season, led the American League in home runs and RBI. However, the team's struggles contributed to the August trade of former franchise cornerstone Adley Rutschman.
Albernaz said he is proud of how his players responded to a difficult year that included key injuries and the upheaval of the trade deadline.
"It wasn't the easiest year. Injuries at the wrong time to key players and obviously the trade deadline, but the guys kept on fighting and that's something I feel very proud of, being with those guys and leading that group and that's why it's also extremely disappointing we didn't get in the playoffs just because of how much fight and how hard these guys worked and ultimately came up short," Albernaz said.
Elias' own future with the organization remains uncertain. He said he has not been told by ownership that he will return in 2027, but he plans to keep working as if he will.
"As far as myself, I don't seek those assurances or anything like that. I work as hard as I possibly can, I pour everything I have into this every day until someone tells me to stop and so that's all I need to hear and we're focused on what we're doing," Elias said.
I asked Elias about the possibility of a labor lockout and how it could affect the Orioles' offseason planning. He said the organization is not ignoring the possibility but will move forward assuming business as usual.
Whether a potential lockout disrupts the offseason or not, the Orioles and their fans are looking for something to change heading into 2027.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
