# Orioles Press Conference Takeaways

> Orioles manager Craig Albernaz and president Mike Elias address season struggles and future plans after rainout ending.
- Title: Orioles Press Conference Takeaways · The Banner | Shortify
- Summary: Orioles manager Craig Albernaz and president Mike Elias address season struggles and future plans after rainout ending. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz…
- Keywords: orioles, mike elias, craig albernaz, gunnar henderson, wrist injury, execution, free agency, mlb, season end, end of season press conference, news, local
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/sports/orioles-mlb/orioles-end-of-season-press-conference-mike-elias-craig-albernaz-WTPFJKMPQZHPLCPRZ733I5XYL4
- Author: Andy Kostka
- Published: 2026-09-28T22:01:46.932+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: orioles, mike elias, craig albernaz, gunnar henderson, wrist injury, execution, free agency, mlb, season end, end of season press conference, news, local
## Execution is the buzzword
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz identified execution as the key issue for their 79-82 season, with 88 unearned runs and lost winnable games.

> Execution is the biggest thing.
## Gunnar Henderson’s wrist injury
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson admitted to a wrist injury for half the season but will not require surgery, impacting his .715 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

> I really don’t like making excuses, because everybody’s banged up at this point in the year.
## Orioles front office changes
Sig Mejdal left analytics oversight, and Matt Blood departed player development, with Elias aiming to expand the front office with outside voices.

> With our ownership group now, we have a good opportunity to sort of participate in that growth a little bit more than we’ve been doing.
## Analytics in modern baseball
Elias emphasized analytics as an essential part of baseball success, despite criticism when results are poor.

> It’s clearly an enormous part of success in this sport nowadays.
## Pete Alonso’s impact
Pete Alonso led MLB in RBIs and homers for the Orioles, but Elias won’t commit to pursuing high-profile free agents each offseason.

> We have owners now that really have the ability to do that.
## Orioles season ends in rainout
The Orioles season ended with a rainout, not a game, leaving the team tired of losing baseball.

> We’re tired of losing baseball.
## Manager’s focus on fundamentals
Albernaz stressed mental consistency over physical ability, with players needing to execute game plans correctly.

> It’s really more of a mental piece than actually physical.
## Henderson’s performance despite injury
Henderson produced an over .700 OPS and 24 homers despite his wrist injury, with Albernaz proud of his resilience.

> It’s still productive for a shortstop at this level.
## Free agency strategy
Elias plans to pursue free agents when the scouting department has confidence, not every offseason.

> We’ll pursue it when we have confidence.
## Orioles’ organizational review
The Orioles will undergo a full organizational review to improve team fortunes after the season ended in a rainout.

> Baltimore will undergo a full organizational review to improve the team’s fortunes.
## Henderson’s bat handle change
Henderson switched to an axe handle bat, but his average against fastballs remained at a career-low .232.

> I felt like bat knob changes helped that out.
## Orioles’ front office size
The Orioles’ front office size ranks 29th out of 30 in MLB, prompting Elias to seek outside voices for growth.

> Baltimore’s front office size is 29th out of 30 in Major League Baseball.
## Key takeaway

Orioles manager Craig Albernaz identifies execution as the key issue for their 79-82 season, with Gunnar Henderson’s wrist injury impacting performance.