Midway through a season that has turned into a tailspin, the Orioles signaled publicly the need for change: They have fired manager Brandon Hyde after seven years with the organization.

With Baltimore at 15-28 and firmly in the basement of the American League East, Hyde’s position grew evermore tenuous by the day. Pressure rose externally. Frustration was apparent, both from Hyde and from members of the clubhouse not accustomed to losing at this rate since the days of a rebuild. For fans, this was especially galling, considering lofty preseason expectations.

The team also fired major league field coordinator/catching instructor Tim Cossins.

Third base coach Tony Mansolino will take over as interim manager. Buck Britton, a major league coach, will take over interim third base coach and infield coach duties. Assistant pitching coach Mitch Plassmeyer will also handle bullpen duties.

Players found out about the coaching staff shake-up Saturday morning, players said.

“He’s been my only manager, so hate it for him,” infielder Gunnar Henderson said. “A lot of guys know we should have won more games, so it sucks big time, but the reality is, got to go out there and continue to play baseball. Fans are gonna come out and support us. We’ve got to play for them, play for the guys in this clubhouse. It sucks, but that’s just the reality of it.”

In a statement, general manager Mike Elias said “the poor start to our season is ultimately my responsibility. Part of that responsibility is pursuing difficult changes in order to set a different course for the future.

“I want to thank Brandon for his hard work, dedication, and passion all these years, and for returning the team to the playoffs and winning an AL East Championship,” Elias continued. “His many positive contributions to this organization and to Baltimore will remain, and we wish he and his family the best.”

Added team control person David Rubenstein: “[A]s is sometimes the case in baseball, change becomes necessary, and we believe this is one of those moments.”

Hyde’s record with the Orioles was 421-492. He won AL Manager of the Year honors in 2023 after guiding the team to a 101-61 record and its first AL East title since 2014.

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hyde was in an unusual position already. Hired ahead of the 2019 season by Elias, Hyde became one of the few managers who survives a rebuild into days of contention. During spring training ahead of the 2023 season, Elias said as much.

“I’m also very proud of the fact that maybe for the first time in recent baseball history we’ve had the same manager in the beginning of a rebuild through the point of competition,” Elias said in 2023. “I think that says a lot, and something he doesn’t get enough credit for.”

Elias has been an advocate of Hyde’s work throughout his time in Baltimore, and he maintained that Hyde’s position was safe in early May: “Very confident in Brandon Hyde,” Elias said at the time.

Hyde said the endorsement from Elias “means a lot” to him.

“Mike has been incredibly respectful to me,” Hyde said in early May. “He’s been incredibly supportive, as well as everybody else in the front office and ownership. I’m really focused on this team, trying to win games with the roster we have right now and play better baseball.”

But the continual losing forced Elias’ hand. In many ways, Hyde is the fall man for an organization that didn’t do enough this offseason to supplement its roster. In the clubhouse, frustration mounted over the lack of top-end pitching additions, two sources said.

Hyde and Elias will always be linked — Hyde was Elias’ chosen man at the beginning of his tenure as general manager, and he carried out Elias’ analytically driven philosophy.

Throughout Hyde’s time in Baltimore, players commended him for his ability to keep spirits high, especially during the low days of a rebuild. Hyde oversaw two 100-plus-loss seasons before the tides turned in 2022. That coincided with the arrival of catcher Adley Rutschman, the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. Baltimore finished above .500 that season.

“Spent every moment with them since I got drafted,” Rutschman said of Hyde and Cossins. “Big league debut and the last three years in the big leagues. So, obviously, I’ve gotten close with them and love them and have the most respect for both of them.”

The outlook improved from 2022. The Orioles won 101 games in 2023 and 91 last season.

But all the regular-season winning didn’t translate to postseason success. Baltimore crashed out of the playoffs both years, first in a three-game sweep to the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series and next in a two-game sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals in the American League wild card.

The latter loss seemed inevitable. The Orioles struggled throughout the second half of 2024. They finished with a 42-46 record after June 21, and that poor play carried over.

After the 2024 season, Baltimore made changes to its coaching staff. Hitting coaches Matt Borgschulte and Ryan Fuller departed, as did bench coach Fredi González and major league coach Jose Hernández. Britton, a longtime Triple-A manager, rose to the major league staff, and former catcher Robinson Chirinos joined as bench coach.

Cody Asche, who served as the offensive strategist for two seasons, became the primary hitting instructor for 2025.

Hyde was spared from an offseason departure. Following the playoff loss in 2024, Elias maintained that Hyde was the right leader for the club.

The poor start to 2025, however, brought an about-face.

“Obviously we’ve been struggling, haven’t been playing the way that [we wanted],” infielder Jackson Holliday said. “I don’t think any of us thinks [this is] the way we should be playing. I guess a decision just had to be made. Obviously, feel like we have something to do with that. It’s baseball; it’s a business. I enjoyed my time with Hyde and sad to see him go, but that’s part of it.”

This article has been updated.