Craig

Albernaz

Baltimore’s first-year manager isn’t expected to miss any time after a scary moment during Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks when he was struck on the right side of the face by a foul ball in the dugout. He joked with reporters that he’ll be standing in the exact same spot during Tuesday’s contest. Jokes aside, it’s a massive relief that he didn’t suffer a more significant injury that would’ve taken him away from the club.

Albernaz was struck on the right side of the face by a foul ball from Orioles infielder Jeremiah Jackson during the early stages of Monday’s contest. He was evaluated by onsite medical staff, according to a team statement, and eventually was able to return to the dugout. There should be a definitive update on his status prior to Tuesday’s showdown.

The 51-year-old finished the 2025 season as the interim manager of the Nationals after Dave Martinez was fired in early July. He had been serving as their bench coach before then — a position that he had held since November of 2023. Cairo brings plenty of experience for first-time skipper Craig Albernaz to draw from during his first season at the helm of the O’s.

Ecker worked with Albernaz on the Giants staff in 2020-21 before departing for Texas. He was the Rangers’ offensive coordinator when they won the World Series in 2023, but he was axed from that role in May after the team got off to a poor start.

The 37-year-old spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons working as an assistant hitting coach with the Phillies. Prior to that gig, Lind was the director of hitting and the assistant hitting coach with the Giants from 2020-2023 — where he worked alongside new Orioles’ skipper Craig Albernaz. He’ll take over for Cody Asche who joined the Tigers as an assistant hitting coach earlier in the week. Lind is the first coaching hire that Albernaz has made since being named as the O’s manager in late October.

The 42-year-old Albernaz, who spent the last two years as Stephen Vogt’s right-hand man in Cleveland, was picked over Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas and Cubs bench coach (and former Orioles player) Ryan Flaherty, among others. MASN’s Roch Kubatko reported that former interim manager Tony Mansolino is expected to depart the organization after being passed over.