Baseball legend still in the mix for Orioles' manager job

The Orioles are still considering bringing in Albert Pujols as their new manager.

Oct 7, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of the Wild Card series for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles are still looking for their new manager — and are reportedly still in the mix to fill that role with an all-time great.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post, former MLB first baseman Albert Pujols is still drawing interest from both the Orioles and the San Diego Padres for their managerial jobs. Heyman's report comes in light of Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels, one of the 45-year-old's former teams, ending discussions regarding the managerial vacancy in Anaheim.

https://t.co/yJ6A6EkoYI Angels and alltime great Albert Pujols end talks; he’s still in play with Padres and reportedly Orioles, too @nypostsports

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 20, 2025

The Orioles' interest in Pujols was initially reported by ESPN's Alden Gonzalez and Jeff Passan on October 15. Baltimore had yet to formally interview Pujols at the time of that report, and seemingly haven't conducted one yet as of now; however, the expectation is that there will be an interview, especially with another team (the Padres) courting the former first baseman.

Read More: Orioles expected to interview baseball legend for manager job

Pujols needs no introduction to baseball fans: he's not only a future Hall of Famer, but an inner-circle Hall of Famer with three NL MVP Awards, 703 home runs, and two World Series rings over an illustrious 22-year career. After his farewell tour in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals, the 45-year-old has since looked to become a big-league skipper.

In February 2024, Pujols got his feet wet by managing the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Professional Baseball League; the team was successful under his watch as they claimed both the 2024-25 Serie Final and the 2025 Carribean Series. This led to Pujols being slated to manage the Dominican Republic for the 2026 World Baseball Classic; however, those plans could change if a major league team chooses to bring him in.

Congratulations to Leones Del Escogido manager, Albert Pujols ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GLHN7MEMfb

— MLB (@MLB) January 28, 2025

Regarding the Orioles' search for a new manager, "the Machine" is one of several potential candidates. Other names currently linked to the Baltimore job include current New York Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas (who the Orioles have already interviewed), former Orioles infielder and current Chicago Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, and interim manager Tony Mansolino. The latter took over the team after Brandon Hyde was fired on May 17, and compiled a 60-59 record.

Read More: Why Orioles' Albert Pujols pursuit for manager job is a major gamble

As of October 20, the Orioles are one of eight teams looking for a manager. The other seven are the aforementioned Angels and Padres, as well as the Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals; the Giants may have that position filled soon enough, as they're deep into talks with Tony Vitello of the Tennessee Volunteers.

With the Angels seemingly pivoting towards Torii Hunter and Kurt Suzuki (per Heyman) after being the favorites to hire Pujols, the Orioles could very well be a finalist for the baseball legend depending on how the interview goes. Despite his lack of big league managing experience, other candidates like Flaherty and even Mansolino are similarly unproven, with the former also having never managed at the MLB level and the latter only having operated with the interim tag while finishing just one game above .500.

Bringing in a hitting savant like Pujols to manage a young core of Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo, and Jackson Holliday (the son of former teammate Matt Holliday) would surely generate significant excitement around the Orioles organization.