‘He’s a player’s coach’

The same day Mancini underwent surgery, Major League Baseball canceled the rest of spring training and delayed the start of the regular season because of the coronavirus pandemic. When play resumed, teams had a limited 60-game schedule. Although they spent much of the season in reach of a playoff spot, the Orioles finished 25-35, the fifth-worst record in the majors. In their other two seasons under Hyde, they lost at least 108 games.

“That was almost kind of a breath of fresh air for the organization,” Hays said, “because it was a lot less games.”

But Hays appreciated how the circumstances gave him a look at how Hyde managed in those situations, and he liked what he saw. Fry noted Hyde’s improvement over the years in handling a bullpen, trusting his inexperienced relievers in high-leverage spots and seeing how they handle them.

Hyde also has a knack for helping players when they’re struggling, Fry said, sitting down with them and delivering the message they need to hear. As Fry’s numbers collapsed late in the 2021 season, Hyde checked in with him regularly and did his best to ease him into this year, trying to keep him comfortable.

“I love playing for him,” Fry said. “And I love having his trust too.”

Mullins, Ryan Mountcastle and Hays all endured troubling stretches early in their major league careers. Mullins took the Orioles’ first at-bat under Hyde, batting leadoff in his first opening day lineup in