New Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz, center, talks with Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt, left, during an MLB game

Washington (AFP) - Cleveland Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz has been hired as the new manager of Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles, the team announced on Monday.

The 42-year-old American had been a coach for the San Francisco Giants from 2020-2023 then served as a bench coach for Cleveland last year before his promotion for 2025.

“We are elated to welcome Craig Albernaz as the next manager of the Orioles,” team president of baseball operations Mike Elias said.

“Craig has built an exemplary career across multiple successful organizations and brings a tremendous amount of experience, knowledge, and talent to our organization and to this new challenge.”

The Orioles, who have not won a playoff series since 2014, went 75-87 this year after reaching the playoffs the past two years.

The Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde in May after a 15-28 start to his seventh season in the job. Third-base coach Tony Mansolino went 60-59 as interim manager, setting the stage for Albernaz’s arrival.

“We believe he is the right person at the right time to elevate our baseball operations and guide our team back to the playoffs and a World Series championship,” Elias said.

Albernaz has only managed in the minor leagues briefly but was a candidate for managerial posts last year at Florida and the Chicago White Sox, but chose to stay in Cleveland.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to join the storied Baltimore Orioles organization,” Albernaz said. “This is a tremendous honor.”

Cleveland reached the 2024 American League Championship Series then went 88-74 this year and lost to Detroit in the wild card series.