Nationals Interview Brandon Hyde: A New Era For The Washington Nationals On The Horizon?

Nationals Interview Brandon Hyde: A New Era For The Washington Nationals On The Horizon?

[Music] The Nationals managerial search really heats up this past weekend as they interviewed two people, but more importantly, they interviewed the former manager for the Baltimore Orioles, Brandon Hyde. And I think that could be your next Nationals manager. [Music] You are Locked on Nationals, your daily Washington Nationals podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Thank you all for making Lockdown Nationals your first listen every single day as we are free and available wherever you get your podcast. And I am your host Ryan Claire, your Nats insider here, part of the Locked on Podcast Network where it’s your team every single day. And later on in today’s program, we’ll have a discussion surrounding the Nationals and their front office as they have made yet another big-time move, hiring in another assistant GM from the Pittsburgh Pirates, their director of amateur scouting. And guys, he has got a track record that you will love. So stay tuned for that discussion later on in the show today. And in the second segment, the Nationals, they have conducted multiple interviews this past weekend, and I think they may have just tipped their cap of what exactly they could be looking for. So stay tuned for that conversation later on in the program today. But the Nationals have interviewed Brandon Hyde, the former manager of the Baltimore Orioles. And honestly, I think this makes a ton of sense for the Washington Nationals. So I’m gonna tell you why. But today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. So download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. So Brandon Hyde coming from the Orioles to the Nationals, I think would be a very intriguing move. And I think that this is something that the Nationals honestly probably want to make happen. When we talk about managers and when we talk about guys who have experience and who are player friendly and who are overall good managers and have won manager of the year awards, Brandon Hyde is on that short list of guys who fit that mold. Maybe this is kind of what the Nationals could be wanting. And I think it makes sense for what this team really needs for a multitude of reasons by the way. But the number one reason in my mind is that the Orioles and the Nationals are in very similar situations of which Brandon Hyde could be getting started here. At 52 years old, Brandon Hyde is someone who again has a really solid resume. Doesn’t have any postseason wins unfortunately under his belt, but still this is a guy who in my mind is a really good managerial choice. And I think that this makes a lot of sense for the Nationals trying to seek out someone of his caliber. Brandon Hyde comes from again the Orioles who are a team that was rebuilding under him back when he took the throne in 2019. And again, wasn’t the most impressive record. He had a couple hundred loss seasons in there, including 108 losses and 110 losses. But things started to turn around in 2022 once they got more talent on the diamond. And then in 2023, he won 101 games and they were the best team in the American League. Brandon Hyde might be that exact higher that the Nationals really could be looking for. And when you discuss this, I think a lot of people might say like, well, what did he do with the Orioles and how did they advance? Like they never won a postseason series. They lost and got bounced in the playoffs in two seasons in a row. Like this is a team that underachieved at times with him. And you’re right, but was that on Brandon Hyde? I don’t believe so. I think things kind of got a little haywire when it came to Baltimore. I think that they threw out their prospects and they expected guys to just kind of play in these different roles and ultimately you blocked too many prospects to try to make yourself a contender right there and right now. That is not a Brandon Hyde fault. Maybe you can can really kind of get into it and say that, well, he should have been better with constructing a lineup and he should have been better with the way that he had that balance of analytics and just having an intuition for the game. And you could be right on that front, but I think Brandon Hyde did a really good job with the Orioles. And more importantly, we have a good balance and we also have a good feel for what he could be like in this clubhouse. Talk about someone who knows how to build a culture. Brandon Hyde does know how to build one. Brandon Hyde comes from a team that again was a young upand cominging team that was losing 110 games a season with the Orioles and then within two years flipped them into winning a 100 plus games and then 91 games in 2024. That is a really impressive feat for one guy to see the terrible things that the Orioles were doing while they’re losing 106 games a season and then going on to win 101 games in a single year. That is not something that you see managers can do all the time. And the Orioles had the talent, by the way. Like that was their expectation. They should have been as good as they were. But also the way that this team, talking about the Orioles here, just battled through adversity under Hyatt. I thought that again it was one of the more impressive managerial positions that the Orioles have had in a while. I would love this hire with Brandon Hyde. Is it my number one at this point in time? It’s not. But I think that this would be a very, very solid hire for the Nationals. And if you were to go into it and just kind of check off all the boxes here, my number one box to check off is that players love this guy. I think back to early on this season back in May when Brandon Hyde was officially let go by the Orioles and obviously reporters are going through the clubhouse there. They were asking players how they felt and I think that a lot of players were absolutely gutted and devastated. They were distraught to see Brandon Hyde go. And I think that goes to show you just how wellliked he was in that building. And a lot of people pointed up to that front office and they were saying Michael is the one that we should be worried about. This is someone who constructed a great team, but also Brandon Hyde should not be falling on the sword for that. So maybe Nationals fans might get stuck up in the idea of, well, he was just canned this year and he was the reason why the Orioles were bad. In my mind, he was not the reason why things kind of went bad this year. It was for a multitude of reasons. Number one, injury. Number two, some guys regressing like Gunnar Henderson. Uh Jackson Holiday got off to a slow start. Um Adley Rutman had a down year. Their pitching was in shambles. And Brandon Hyde just had to be the one to fall on the sword. That’s typically how it goes in Major League Baseball. But one thing I know for Hyde and what he could do for the Nationals is keep us afloat, he understands how to go from a rebuilding ball club to a team that is expected to win now. And probably in the more important way also, he knows and understands analytics. This is an organization now at the Nationals that will be heavy on analytics moving forward. They are making all these front office moves not to take a step back in the 2000s with traditional scouting. They want to make themselves known in the 2020s. They need to get with the times and really understand how data and analytics can give you that extra edge. And now you have to have the manager in mind that can also relay that information onto the field. And I think Brandon Heine has proven that he can do that. Even dating back to when he was hired in 2019. This is someone who spoke on the day of his press conference of how important analytics are into how they will do baseball each and every single day. So this is going to be a big part of it in my opinion. The Nationals obviously want to really take a nose dive into analytics and data and getting this team up to date. Coming from an organization like the Orioles who have done that and done that very well. Brandon Hyde has had success. You kind of already see the blueprint of how this team could get better. And by the way, the major league development staff up there with the Orioles were great at times. Again, they did take a step back this season, but I do believe that Brandon Hyde was a key crucial part for really what kept that kept that Orioles team together, number one, but number two, he has the perfect mix of data and analytics and having that culture and having guys buy into what he’s selling. Like, that is a key part into building a culture and a new one here for the Washington Nationals. This is a team that needs new paint on the walls and they need a new culture in this building. I think Brandon Hyde could provide that for the Nationals and honestly then some more. So keep your eye out for that. Brandon Hyde is a very intriguing name to watch. The Nationals have interviewed him. I certainly expect to see him go through a second round and I also certainly expect to see another name trickle out here soon. But there was another guy that the Nationals interviewed that kind of has the same backgroundish as Brandon Hyde. And I think the Nationals may have just tipped their hand on what they could be searching for in their next manager. The NBA is back and there’s no better place to get in on the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of the game or want to ride the hot hand, FanDuel has live bets on everything from who will score next to fourth quarter comebacks and plus you can even combine your live bets into a same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout. It keeps everything in every game exciting and especially when your team’s making that late push like the Wizards the other night against the Hornets. They’re making a little bit of a late push there in the second half. I splashed a little money on a Keshan George over on the threes and also a Wizards money line. Unfortunately, I did not win it, but it sure did make my watching experience a lot more fun. So, right now, FanDuel is giving my new customers $300 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. So, head to fanduel.com to sign up and play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. And we are back here if you get your podcast. So I believe that the Nationals have tipped their hand on maybe who they could be searching for as their next manager. So the Nationals interviewed two people this weekend. Number one, Brandon Hyde, but number two, the Guardians bench coach, Craig Albernaz, who was actually hired as the Orioles next manager and just yesterday. That was broken by Jeff Passen from ESPN. And I think that the Nationals, they’ve got a type. Here’s the thing. When if you’re a single person out there, you’re on Tinder, you’ve got your type. You like what you like. And we all know what that is. You’re going to swipe to the left if you don’t like someone. Swipe right if you like someone. The Nationals, I could tell you exactly what they’re going to be swiping right on. It is guys with background in analytics. It is younger guys and are guys that are coming from big-time analytical organizations. The Nationals have tipped their cap on what they could be looking for. We had a discussion surrounding Bruce Bochi and kind of how he would fit if he were to come out of retirement or that special assistant role with the Rangers. And it didn’t really make sense because I think what the Nationals are looking for is someone who can translate the game of data into the real game of baseball. And can Bochi do that? I’m sure he can have people on his staff do that, but is he going to be the one to do that? And at someone who is in his late 70s, you know, not to say he’s in terrible shape, but not in the best shape of his life, like he’s getting up there in age. Is he gonna be the guy up for that task? I don’t really think so. The Nationals have something here. They want someone that is familiar with analytics. They want someone with a coaching background. Brandon Hyde, Craig Albernaz with the Guardians. Those are guys that in my mind the Nationals were probably all over and those are guys that the Nationals really wanted. So it actually to see Albernaz go to the Orioles. Honestly, if I were to bet I I have no insider information on this, I’d probably expect that he was the Nationals number one decision maker and I thought the Nationals probably would want him the most. and he may or may not have been the hottest name on the market, I would say, at this point because as news has trickled out that he is being hired by the Orioles, it sounds like a lot of teams with open managerial positions wanted him as their next manager. So, I think the fit there with the Orioles is really good for them, but also I think the Nationals being very interested in him kind of goes to show you that this is someone who is going to be a bigname guy. Obviously, the Nationals want someone familiar with analytics and I think that that is going to be a key part of this search going forward because really what this front office change in my mind was was kind of just getting with the times. When the Nationals hired Paul Tabone to be the president of baseball operations, that was really them kind of tipping their cap at him and saying, “Listen, you’ve done a great job with the Red Sox and really turning around their amateur scouting and their analytics and their R&D department, but we want you to do that here in DC.” This is the Nationals getting with the 2020s. And so I think obviously with where this organization is going to right now, you want someone who can translate that data into the onfield performance and having someone come from an organization like the Guardians who might be one of the best datadriven organizations in the sport makes so been discussing Brandon Hyde as someone who comes from the Orioles who is a very data driven team makes a lot of sense. So to see the first two names trickle out now as guys who have interviewed with the Nationals for their next managerial position be two guys coming from organizations that are smaller markets and that are heavy into analytics. This makes the most sense to me and this is exactly what the Washington Nationals should be looking for in their next manager. So going forward, I think there’s a lot of different things to really kind of keep in mind here. The Nationals have tipped their hand. They know what they want. They are not going to be searching for a Bruce Bochi. They may not even be searching for a Bob Melvin. They want someone who is a good coach number one because I do think Tabone, he discussed this in his intro press conference and on with Grant Dany a few weeks ago, but this is someone who really truly wants someone who’s going to be able to coach this team up and really kind of get them to that promised land that a lot of people are searching desperately to get back to. And number two, this is a team that wants someone who is going to be very familiar with analytics and understands how data can drive today’s game in 2026 and beyond. So, as the Nationals kind of ramp up this search, I think it’s going to be really interesting. I think Brandon Hyde is certainly a name to watch. And another name to watch, I think, is Rockco Baldelli. And I think that he is kind of one one guy who might say maybe he doesn’t come out of retirement for this. Maybe he’s going to or not retirement, but he was laid off by the Twins. And some people think that he might just take the year off and see what happens with him moving forward. But Roco Belaldi, I think would be a very interesting hire because coming from the Twins, that is another organization that’s pretty heavy on analytics, but he is also respected as one of the better coaching managers in the sport. This is someone who’s really coached up the Minnesota Twins. Carlos Koreah talked a lot about him. A lot of people in in years past have talked about s just how good of a coach that this guy is. And just reading the tea leaves of what the Nationals want again, that makes the most sense. And I’m actually just seeing now that Roco Baldelli actually did say that he would love to manage again, but also he is really enjoying his time off with his family. So, we’ll see if the Nationals can really pluck him away from just kind of that break in baseball that he may or may not need. But that is another name to watch. And as we continue to go on with this search, one thing that you just have to keep in mind is this. We want someone from an organization that has done analytics before. And you want someone who will be easily relatable, number one, but number two, able to relay that information onto onfield success. Just because you’re a good manager and a good people person does not make you the right choice to be the next Nationals manager. A lot of things have to go in mind when it comes to this. And I think keeping at the forefront that the Nationals are an analytically driven team now. And number two, they need a new culture as well. So whoever they hire as an ex manager, it’s going to be a very important decision. But I do believe this past weekend kind of getting a glimpse of what the Nationals could be looking for. They know what they want. They want someone who has analytics and who is able to coach up this team the proper way because they’ve got a lot of young talent, but they have not been able to do too much with that young talent at this point. But maybe making that managerial hire could flip things around for the Washington Nationals. Speaking of flipping things around, the Nationals have made another just splash of a front office move. I mean, it’s unbelievable the talent that they have been able to acquire under Paul Tabone at this point. So, I will tell you why the Nationals are just making moves when it comes to their front office and they are really constructing what could be one of the next great front offices in baseball. I’ll tell you about this move after this. NFL season is back and honestly there’s nothing better than being in the stadium surrounded by fans cheering on your team. 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Swipe, tap, ticket, go. Download Game Time today. And we are back as the Nationals made another splash. And speaking of Brandon High with the bird map bath, we got a bird splash or a gnat splash. How about that? For the Washington Nationals, they have hired the director of amateur scouting from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Justin Horowitz, as the next assistant GM for the Washington Nationals. He now joins Devin Pearson alongside that assistant GM title. And of course, Paul Tabone, your Nationals president of baseball operations. But this is a very very good hire for some people and kind of reading what has gone in to Justin Horowitz and watching him come from a team like the Pirates. Like you hear the Pirates and you’re like that’s a disaster of a franchise. What are you talking about? But watch everyone in the Pittsburgh media have a meltdown when it comes to losing this guy. This is someone who ran the draft for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And one thing that I want you to keep in mind with right now, who is the top prospect in all of baseball, who is the number one guy in all of baseball at this point in time? I’ll tell you this. It is Connor Griffin, the shortstop ninth overall pick out of high school in 2024. and he just had one of the best seasons that I’ve ever seen honestly from a kid coming out of the high school ranks into the minor leagues. He raised up from lowe all the way to doublea altuna and he is on track to be in the majors at some point this next season. He batted 333 with a 942 OPS. He had 21 home runs. He had 65 stolen bases and was easily the biggest threat for power, for speed, for great defense. He is by far and away the best prospect in all of baseball, I think, at this point. Well, Justin Horowitz was the one who just drafted him in 2024. One pick ahead of the Washington Nationals, by the way, before they took Sver King last year. This is again just another great move in the background. You might be wondering, yes, he did work with the Red Sox organization. He worked under Paul Tabone and as well as Devin Pearson and the amateur scouting side of things, worked his way up, was named the director of amateur scouting with the Pittsburgh Pirates a handful of years ago, and has really helped turn their farm system into one of the league’s best at this point. and looking at some of the things that they have done. I mean, they just took Seth Hernandez, the top high school pitcher, who in my mind was one of the top talents in this year’s draft class. And so, they’re all set on that front. They’ve also got a couple other guys down in their farm system that are very intriguing as well. Tamar Johnson, uh, you’ve got guys like Raphael Flores as well, who was actually an international signing. You’ve got Wyatt Sanford who was a second round pick last year who could be making some noise for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But this is a team that has really been on the up and again you hear the Pirates and you’re like, “Okay, whatever.” But this is a guy who has an eye for talent. And one thing that I and we praised for Paul Tabone and really just kind of what this front office needs is someone that can identify talent. again, someone who can really understand what it takes to build a prospect and make them from a raw prospect into one of the better guys in all of baseball. That is what Horowitz has done with the Pittsburgh Pirates. And I think that this move just simply puts it further that the Nationals are honing in on what they want with player development. They are going to start from building this farm system from the top all the way or from the bottom all the way to the top, whichever way you want to put it. And that is a big key for this organization. And that’s the way that it should be. This is a team that has not been able to develop talent out of the draft in years. Quite literally almost a decade at this point. It has been abandoned. It has been something that they have not done well. In fact, they have been the worst draft and developed team in all of baseball for almost a decade now. You have to be able to develop your own guys. And what the Nationals have done is they have now gotten three guys from amateur scouting sides, guys who understand what it takes to build up a prospect. You’ve got Devin Pearson who has amateur scouting background success. You now have Justin Horowitz who has amateur scouting success. The Nationals now understand what they have to do and now hopefully they can put it all away and do the correct things to build a top farm system in the game. So, thank you all for making Lockdown Nationals your first listen. I will catch you guys on the flip side. Enjoy your Monday. Have a good one. Go Nats.

Ryan Clary, host of Locked On Nationals, dives into the team’s managerial search, focusing on former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde as a top candidate as he was just interviewed for the job. Clary analyzes Hyde’s track record in rebuilding the Orioles and his player-friendly approach. The podcast explores the Nationals’ apparent preference for analytically-minded managers, as evidenced by their interest in Craig Albernaz. Clary also discusses the team’s recent front office moves, including hiring Justin Horowitz as assistant GM from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He highlights Horowitz’s success in amateur scouting and draft picks, viewing it as a positive step towards improving the Nationals’ player development system and building a competitive farm system.

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0:00 Intro: Nationals managerial search heats up

5:14 Brandon Hyde’s success with Orioles rebuild

10:49 Nationals may have tipped their hand

15:56 Analytics-driven candidates for manager position

20:32 Nationals make splash with front office hire

25:38 Focus on rebuilding farm system from bottom up