Frustrated Mike Elias Pins Blame on Hitters for Orioles’ Slump in Staunch Support of Brandon Hyde Amid Mounting Criticism

The Baltimore Orioles’ 2025 season hasn’t gone according to plan. They are sitting 13-21 as of May 7, and they find themselves at the bottom of the AL East. That’s a far cry from the promising start they were meant to have. Injuries have plagued the team, and hitters are underperforming. Fans are wondering, “Is it time for a change?” The most fingers pointed at the manager.

Despite the mounting criticism, Orioles GM Mike Elias is still standing firm in his support of Brandon Hyde. He has always had his back. And following that, in a recent interview, Elias attributed the team’s struggles to issues that go deeper than the manager.

“This is not something that the manager is impacting on the team,” Elias mentioned while discussing the growing demand for a change in the manager.

Elias added, “We’ve got a rotation that is ranking towards the bottom of MLB right now. We’ve got guys on the IL and hitters that are frustratingly underperforming right now. The lineup is not clicking the way it’s got to be right now.” He pointed to several factors, from hitting to pitching, not working out. He also shared how injuries have been a major struggle for the team. So, for him, it’s really a whole organization that is at a cracking point, and not just the manager.

Even former MLB GM Jim Bowden weighed in on the situation recently. And according to him, sometimes a new voice can shake things up.

Even in the Baltimore Orioles clubhouse, despite the rumors of a rift between players and Hyde, the team has rallied behind their manager. Players have also denied any such reports, making it clear they are all fine with Hyde leading them. But it remains to be seen how long this faith will prevail, because it has been seven years of rebuilding—yet this is the result they get. If things don’t get better, a change might be incoming.

But what about the star players?

Charlie Morton’s struggles continue as he makes a comeback

Pitching in the big leagues is never easy, and the Baltimore Orioles can vouch for it. Because they are having a rather tough season this time. The team ERA is standing at 5.49, which is 29th in MLB, and a starting rotation ERA of 5.75. And the biggest part of their struggles has been injuries to their key pitchers.

Zac Eflin has only made three starts, and Grayson Rodriguez is still waiting to make his season debut. But there is another glaring issue—veteran Charlie Morton. He is 41 years old and has been weak on the mound this season. Just last week, Hyde decided enough was enough and moved Morton to the bullpen. Now, just a week later, Hyde decided to bring the very struggling Morton back into the rotation.

And as of now, he has posted a 9.76 ERA in 27.2 innings over eight games. That’s bad enough to lead MLB in losses and the American League in earned runs and walks. Ouch!

But this isn’t a new trend he is following; this downward spiral has been there for a few years. Yet the GM handed Morton a one-year deal. Well, one of many controversial decisions, if you ask the Orioles fans.

Do you still think that it’s just the manager who needs fixing for the Orioles to revive themselves?