Orioles manager gets blunt about 'under-performance' of young stars

Baltimore Orioles manager Tony Mansolino got extremely clear about some of his best players' subpar 2025 seasons.

Jun 30, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) walks off the field after striking out against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have been playing good team baseball of late. In fact, they'd be in the thick of the AL Wild Card chase if they had started the season at somewhere closer to .500 instead of the 15-28 record they had at the time former manager Brandon Hyde was fired.

This is even more impressive given the mediocre seasons that several of the Orioles' most talented players have produced in 2025. While much has been made about Adley Rutschman's continued regression at the plate (he had an .809 OPS in 2023, a .709 OPS in 2024, and a .683 OPS this season), he is far from the only Baltimore player who hasn't lived up to expectations this season.

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Look no further than superstar shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Many felt like Henderson was the best offensive shortstop in the game after his 2024 campaign where he posted a .281 average, 37 home runs, and an .893 OPS. However, all of these stats have regressed, as Henderson is hitting .274 with 16 home runs and a .788 OPS this year.

Aug 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) looks toward the crowd after an at bat during the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images

Not to mention that Jackson Holliday hasn't taken the second-year leap that was expected of him, Colton Cowser has had a worse 2024 than 2024, and Ryan Mountcastle hasn't been nearly as productive.

Tony Mansolino Sends Strong Message on Orioles Young Star Struggles

Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino was quoted as speaking to Roch Kubatko of MASN for a September 18 article. And at one point, he got brutally honest when reflecting on this current campaign.

“It’s gonna be a huge part of (the story) in a lot of ways,” Mansolino said. “We’re not gonna blame it all on injuries. I think that’s a little bit of a copout, it’s not very accountable from our perspective to do that. But yeah, it’s hard when all your players aren’t on the field at the same time... I don’t think they’ve all actually been healthy together on one given day, which is pretty wild at this point. It’s a big part of it.

“The other point is under-performance, and we recognize that and we know that. And it really has to be priority No. 1 is to get some of the young hitters who have probably had down years to their standards. We have to get those guys back,” Mansolino added.

Mansolino leftovers on losing season, Wells' role, Beavers and Basallo https://t.co/7i0cGJlo7v #orioles

— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) September 18, 2025

Props to Mansolino for being willing to call a spade a spade, so to speak. Because the only chance the Orioles have of becoming serious contenders again is for all the aforementioned young players to perform closer to their capabilities.