Ex-Hot Rods skipper Albernaz named Orioles’ new manager

Ex-Hot Rods skipper Albernaz named Orioles’ new manager

Published 12:30 pm Monday, October 27, 2025

Bowling Green Hot Rods manager Craig Albernaz argues with home plate umpire Steve Jaschinski after Moises Gomez was thrown out of the game July 27, 2018, against Great Lakes (Michigan) at Bowling Green Ballpark. Albernaz, who led the Hot Rods to their first league championship in his lone season managing the team, was named as the new manager of the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

Craig Albernaz, manager of the 2018 Midwest League Championship team for the Bowling Green Hot Rods, has been named the manager of the Baltimore Orioles.

Albernaz is the second former manager in Hot Rods history to be named manager at the MLB level.

Albernaz’s managerial career began within the Tampa Bay Rays organization, leading the at the time Single-A short-season Hudson Valley Renegades to a 44-32 record. The record was good enough for a playoff spot and wins over the Staten Island Yankees and the Vermont Lake Monsters led Albernaz to his first managerial championship.

The following season, Albernaz joined the Hot Rods for the 2018 campaign. After the Hot Rods fell short during the first five playoff appearances, Albernaz was able to lead them to the first championship in Hot Rods franchise history. The team boasted a 90-49 record under his leadership, beating the Lansing Lugnuts in the quarterfinals, the West Michigan Whitecaps in the semifinals and the Peoria Chiefs in the finals to bring home the Hot Rods’ first championship. Albernaz was named the 2018 Midwest League Manager of the Year in the process.

He spent the 2019 season as a Rays minor league field coordinator, shortly after leaving Tampa Bay for the bullpen and catching coach position with the San Francisco Giants in December 2019. After four seasons in the Bay area, Albernaz was hired as the bench coach with the Cleveland Guardians in 2023 and was promoted to associate manager in 2024.

The Hot Rods have now seen two managers reach the MLB. The first was Matt Quatraro, who was the manager during the Hot Rods’ inaugural season in 2009 and became the manager of the Kansas City Royals in 2023.