The Baltimore Orioles have just four games remaining in what will go down as one of the worst seasons in MLB history, and the assumption has been that they will be searching for a new manager this winter. However, that decision has reportedly not yet been made.
According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Orioles have not met yet to discuss the futures of manager Buck Showalter and GM Dan Duquette.
The #Orioles haven't talked to Dan Duquette or Buck Showalter about their futures and haven't made a decision on the status of either, sources say. And there's no indication precisely when the Angelos brothers plan to sit down with their GM and manager and make the call.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) September 28, 2018
The Orioles had won just 46 games heading into Friday, which was 11 less than the next-worst team in baseball, the Kansas City Royals. Showalter has been with Baltimore since 2010 and led the team to the playoffs three times during that span, but the O’s have gotten worse over each of the past three seasons. Showalter never stood a chance with a gutted roster this season, and it would be a surprise if a 62-year-old manager stuck around for a total rebuild.
If you want to know just how bad the Orioles have been this season, one scout’s ruthless remark from a while back should give you an idea. Even in the unlikely event that they’re willing to bring Showalter back in 2019, he might decide he no longer wants the job.
