Former Orioles closer Gregg Olson believes veteran manager Bob Melvin would be a good fit as the next Orioles manager.
Melvin has plenty of experience, having managed the Seattle Mariners (2003-2004), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-2009), Oakland Athletics (2011-2021), San Diego Padres (2022-2023) and San Francisco Giants (2024-2025). Olson and Melvin have history together. They were teammates in Baltimore from 1989-1991.
“[Melvin] would be a good fit. He’s very good at what he does,” Olson said on Glenn Clark Radio Oct. 10. “I was shocked that he got fired. Talking about San Francisco, they sold at the deadline and then leave him with absolutely nothing. They were in the playoff hunt, and then they fire him at the end of the year. That doesn’t make any sense. I think he’d be a good fit.”
The Orioles went 101-61 in 2023, showing that this organization has the potential to do great things. And when the 2026 season starts and the O’s are back on their feet, Olson believes Melvin can set the team up to succeed.
But it’s clear to Olson that a new manager isn’t going to automatically fix all of the problems the Orioles faced in 2025. Taking time to reset this offseason could very well get the Orioles back to playoff form.
“All the managers getting fired, it’s ultimately my fault as a player,” Olson said. “The manager makes moves in-game and will affect, let’s say, 33 percent of the games just by his bullpen moves, et cetera. But if guys aren’t performing, there’s nothing the manager can do. I’m trying to figure out what type of manager would be that guy that would pick up and bolster the organization.”
The Orioles went 91-71 and battled with the Yankees for the AL East title in 2024. The roster was similar heading into 2025, but injuries put a damper on the momentum that the O’s had leading up to the season.
Another factor was Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman’s rough season. Rutschman has been a productive player in Baltimore, boasting a 15.1 career WAR, according to Baseball Reference. But his season-long slump aligned with the Orioles’ struggles in 2025.
Rutschman sported career lows across the board this past season. He was ninth in American League MVP voting when the Orioles won 101 games in 2023, earning an All-Star nod and a Silver Slugger Award. It’s clear that Rutschman has the potential to help the Orioles win a lot of games, but when he doesn’t reach that potential the Orioles have struggled.
“Just waking up in the offseason and getting started again, things aren’t going to be the same,” Olson said. “I’m sure there’s somewhere he can go back to and analyze and figure out where the swing’s at.”
For more from Olson, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the San Francisco Giants