Craig Albernaz reveals first priority for Orioles offseason

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz got clear about his next moves after joining the franchise.

Nov 4, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Craig Albernaz is introduced as the new Baltimore Orioles manager at Warehouse Bar. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles are still basking in the afterglow of having hired Craig Albernaz to be their franchise's 21st manager. And rightfully so, given that Albernaz appears to be the right guy for the job and appears poised to bring the Orioles out of the AL East's basement in 2026.

But for Albernaz's first season to be a success, he's going to need to rely on his roster. Thankfully, there's no shortage of talent on Baltimore's team, which Albernaz alluded to during his introductory press conference on November 4.

Read more: Orioles add intriguing coach to Craig Albernaz's staff

“The talent just jumps right out at you,” Albernaz said. “Even playing them this year, yeah, it was a down year. A lot of injuries, but the talent up and down the roster is impressive and when you have a group of young players that get to the big leagues and have success, like in ’23, and they have a rough ’25, it’s really tough to curate that adversity for young players to go through.

"For them to have it happen on the biggest stage, again, dealing with the injuries, I wouldn’t say poor performance, but they can perform better in their eyes. So it’s great to see the work that they’ll put in in the offseason. We’ll come out and next year really take on that challenge," he added.

Nov 4, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Craig Albernaz is introduced as the new Baltimore Orioles manager at Warehouse Bar. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Craig Albernaz Speaks on First Moves as Baltimore Orioles Manager

While Albernaz's sentiment is nice, the time for celebrations is over, and it's time to get to work. And Albernaz already has an idea of what he needs to do first as Baltimore's manager, which he conveyed during a November 7 appearance on MLB Network.

"It's chaos, in the best way possible. You're trying to learn the organization, the people, the different departments. And then also, on top of that, we have to fill out the coaching staff," Albernaz said of his next steps, per an X post from MLB Network.

"And more importantly, you want to reach out to all the players. You have to get to know them, see where they're at in the offseason. So it has been awesome, and luckily, there's a lot of great people in this organization that are helping," he added.

“These guys are hungry and ready to bounce back and show the world what they can do. I'm just happy and fortunate to be a part of it.”@Orioles new manager Craig Albernaz is ready to get to work with Baltimore's exciting young core! pic.twitter.com/V5Rfcjjf3o

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 7, 2025

When Albernaz was hired, one of the first things said about him was that he was great at developing rapport and relationships with players. And hearing that doing the same with the Orioles' roster is at the top of his offseason priorities list speaks volumes.