Eutaw Street Banter Podcast

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The Baltimore Orioles have officially named Jared Banner their new General Manager! Banner joins Baltimore after serving as Assistant GM for the Chicago Cubs, with previous experience in player development with the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. He brings nearly 20 years of baseball operations experience, and Orioles fans will be hoping his expertise can help strengthen the farm system, improve player development, and get this organization back on track. 

The Orioles’ layoffs go far beyond The Oriole Bird and Mr. Splash. More than two dozen employees were reportedly let go across the organization, including people in ticket sales, partnerships, social media, graphic design, photography, digital marketing, hospitality, ballpark operations, IT, food and beverage, brand/content, and game presentation. 

It’s a pretty stunning shakeup of the business side of the organization, especially with some of the employees reportedly having more than a decade with the Orioles. 

Oriole Park is getting a major makeover for the 2027 season, with about 2,000 upper-deck seats in left field being removed to make room for a new social area featuring standing-room spaces, drink rails, tables, a central bar, concessions and TVs. The stadium’s capacity will drop to around 40,234 seats, with even more ballpark renovations expected to be announced later this year.

The Baltimore Orioles and vice president of player and staff development Matt Blood have mutually agreed to part ways, ending his seven-year run with the organization. Blood was one of Mike Elias’ earliest hires and played a major role in the Orioles’ player-development system, making his departure another significant change for a franchise looking to turn things around. 

Trey Mancini came  home to Baltimore, as the Orioles agreed to sign a  one-day contract on September 19 and officially retire as an Oriole. The longtime fan favorite was honored with a pregame celebration at Camden Yards, capping an incredible career that included an AL Comeback Player of the Year award and a memorable battle back from cancer. 

Roch Cholowsky was selected first overall in the 2026 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox after an outstanding career at UCLA. The talented shortstop is regarded as one of the most polished college prospects in recent years, combining a smooth right-handed swing with strong defense and exceptional baseball instincts. Cholowsky is expected to move quickly through the minor leagues and could become a cornerstone of the White Sox franchise.