Just a week ago, Baltimore Orioles GM Mike Elias gave Brandon Hyde a vote of confidence. But in MLB, those usually come right before the axe.

Derek Shelton is out in Pittsburgh after a 12-26 start. The Pirates finally pulled the plug after years of underperformance. Now the question becomes: who’s next? And all signs are pointing to Baltimore.

Just seven days ago, Orioles GM Mike Elias told reporters he was “ very confident ” in Brandon Hyde, even as the club sits at 14-24 and dead last in the AL East .

“I think that you look at the job of a major league manager, and it would take me 45 minutes to talk about everything that goes into it,” Elias said, via Baltimore Sun reporter Jacob Calvin Meyer . “But… [Hyde] is doing that.”

But that was then. And in MLB, a week can feel like a season.

The Pressure Is Building in Baltimore

Coming off a 101-win season in 2023 and winning 91 games in 2024, the Orioles entered 2025 with legitimate postseason expectations. Instead, they’ve delivered one of the worst rotations in baseball ( 5.37 ERA—fourth worst in MLB ) and an offense that ranks last in OPS against left-handed pitching.

Yes, injuries have hit hard. Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish are both sidelined. Colton Cowser , Tyler O’Neill , and Jordan Westburg are also out. But excuses only go so far when you were picked to contend and now can’t win a series.

Elias Has Defended Hyde—So Far

Elias made it clear last week he believes Hyde has not “lost the clubhouse,” adding: “It’s been a very consistent place… and Hyde is right in the middle of that.”

But just like in Pittsburgh, we’ve heard this script before. Public support for a struggling manager is often the precursor to a change. Shelton’s general manager, Ben Cherington, said similar things weeks ago. Now he’s answering questions about finding new leadership.

Is Hyde Actually to Blame?

It’s fair to question whether Hyde is the real issue. After all, he wasn’t the one who built the rotation. He didn’t sign 41-year-old Charlie Morton , who’s rocking a 8.82 ERA. He didn’t hand $5 million to Kyle Gibson , who gave up three straight home runs in his season debut. That’s on Elias.

Even Elias admitted as much in a recent statement to MLB.com : “When we have a bad record to start the year, that’s my responsibility.”

However, front office accountability only goes so far when ownership demands results. And those results aren’t showing up in the win column.

Baltimore’s 12-18 record through April marks their worst start since 2019, even worse than seasons during their rebuilding phase . Despite the slump, players have continued to support Brandon Hyde, insisting the poor results fall on them, not their manager.

Multiple Orioles have emphasized that Hyde still maintains full respect in the clubhouse, a sentiment echoed by GM Mike Elias, who said Hyde’s leadership remains intact.

Hyde’s Job Might Hinge on May

The Orioles were patient during their rebuild years. But they’re no longer rebuilding—they’re supposed to be competing. And if the next few weeks mirror the last few, Hyde’s job may no longer be safe, regardless of how “confident” the GM claims to be.

The message is clear after what happened in Pittsburgh: public support means little if the losses keep piling up.