The Baltimore Orioles just fired Brandon Hyde. And while it’s easy to view that as a final nail in the 2025 coffin, some insiders believe there’s still a narrow—but very real—path back to contention. If it sounds like a stretch, consider this: the 2022 Phillies were 21-29 at the end of May. They went to the World Series.
A Familiar Blueprint for a Bounce Back
CBS Sports and MLB.com point out that the Phillies run, led in part by current Orioles pitchers Kyle Gibson (who was designated for assignment this morning) and Zach Eflin, proves that seasons can turn around fast with the right mindset. Baltimore is currently 15-28, and yes, that’s worse than those Phillies were. But it’s not yet fatal in the era of three wild cards.
MLB.com’s Jake Rill spoke with Gibson on Saturday (when he was still part of the team) about what it takes. “If the Twins can rattle off 10 in a row [at the time when questioned], do you think this Orioles team could?” Gibson asked. “Well, yeah. I think we have a good team.” He emphasized the need to avoid the creeping negativity of a slow start and instead commit to one goal: “Stick together. Be ourselves. Have fun.”
There’s Still Talent on the Roster
The Orioles aren’t a broken team; they’re an underperforming one. The 2023 squad won 101 games. The 2024 team won 91. This is virtually the same core. But the numbers are ugly. As CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder stated, entering Saturday, Baltimore ranked 25th in runs scored — a massive drop from 7th in 2023 to 4th in 2024.
Adley Rutschman is hitting just .214. Jordan Westburg is at .217 (and injured). Gunnar Henderson’s power hasn’t vanished, but his overall production is down. These are fixable problems. If just a few of these bats wake up, the offense could normalize quickly. Henderson can play like an MVP again. Rutschman and Westburg (when he gets back) can still find their All-Star form. Jackson Holliday and Ryan O’Hearn have already shown signs of life.
Bullpen Woes Can Be Solved
The Orioles’ bullpen has also been shaky, ranking 26th in MLB with a 4.96 ERA. That doesn’t match the talent. Yennier Cano and Cionel Pérez have been elite in past seasons. Félix Bautista, though out for the year, was a superstar in 2022-23. Gregory Soto and Bryan Baker are capable arms. This isn’t a bullpen devoid of talent — it needs to stabilize.
As Gibson (again, who was DFA’d this morning) pointed out, it’s about perspective. “You just have to keep breaking it down in slower steps,” he said. “Go one series at a time.” Even winning two-thirds of the series for two months could put Baltimore near .500 by July.
Orioles Rotation Remains the Real Issue
The big problem is the starting pitching. The rotation ranks 28th in MLB with a 5.60 ERA. Only the Marlins and Rockies are worse. That’s a serious anchor, and without immediate improvement, all the offensive progress in the world won’t matter.
Zach Eflin has been solid. Tomoyuki Sugano has a 3.08 ERA through nine starts. That’s a good base. Kyle Bradish could return later this summer. Grayson Rodriguez might be back by the end of June. If the rotation by August features Eflin-Bradish-Rodriguez-Sugano and a revived Dean Kremer, that’s a functional group.
Hyde’s Firing May Spark a Shift
The Orioles didn’t just fire Hyde to make a statement — they did it because sometimes a new voice works. We’ve seen it before. The 2019 Nationals. The 2005 Astros. And yes, those 2022 Phillies.
It’s going to take a lot. The hole is deep. The roster is banged up. But the window hasn’t slammed shut — not yet. If the Orioles can right the ship before mid-June, and if the offense bounces back to what it should be on paper, there’s a chance this isn’t a lost season.
The odds are long. But as Gibson told MLB.com, “We believe that we’re a team that can do it.”
The Orioles announced today that Kyle Gibson was designated for assignment after a 0-3 record, a 16.78 ERA in 12.1 innings, and a 2.92 WHIP.
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