Despite Orioles’ Ugly Slump, Ex-catcher Sets Priorities Straight With Bold Aim in New Role

The dugout felt a little too quiet lately. Not the good kind—the tension kind. The kind that comes after a stretch of games where nothing clicks, veterans look lost, and fans begin to ask if last year’s magic was just a fluke. Something was clearly missing, and it was not just wins.

However, when a former star returned—not with a bat, but with an aim—it felt like the tide could transform. He did not come back to reminisce. Instead, the familiar face came back to reset the environment. Who is he? He is Robinson Chirinos, and he is not in the Orioles to just fill a seat on the bench.

So, what is the job of a bench coach when the Baltimore Orioles’ record is a busted scratch-off ticket? For Robinson Chirinos, it is not rated to babysit grown men. It is related to being the star who knows what buttons to push. The team is going through a 13-21 beginning. Yet Chirinos is not panicking. Why? Because he had already lived on that team. Back in 2022, Chirinos filled the roster and worked as a veteran voice on a team that had just come off a brutal 110-loss season. Fast forward to this year, and Chirinos traded chest protectors for a clipboard.

However, time to rewind a little. Why did he sign on with this struggling team back then? It was for the coaching. He did not wait for his career to end to begin approaching the traits of a skipper. While catching games, Chirinos was already mentally piecing together bullpen matchups and pinch-hitting moves. It is no surprise in the current struggling period that Brandon Hyde trusts him. “That is why I took this job”, Chirinos said. “To come here for the players, for Hyde, to help him and to help the organization hopefully win a championship”, he added and admired Hyde’s trust.

So why is this so special for Chirinos to work with the Orioles in 2025? Because fourteen current stars in the team were his teammates just three years ago. That is plenty of a carryover and plenty of credibility. The veteran knows their behaviours, their approaches, and more necessarily, their mentality. That is gold in MLB, where teams have revolving doors. In addition, it is not just the hitters. “Being a bench coach, it is kind of like the same thing when I was a catcher”, Chirinos said. “I am spending time with the pitchers because I am controlling the running game… and also I talk to the hitters in meetings and on a daily basis”, he added. In short, Chirinos is the individual who speaks fluent English and fluent position player, without needing a translator.

Still, the show is not just related to technicalities—it is related to culture. The Baltimore Orioles lost vital stars, like Santander, McCann, and Burnes, over the offseason. With such stars left, someone had to fill the leadership vacuum. Chirinos, with the help of first-year coach Buck Britton, has become that bridge. While Britton relies on his Norfolk managerial ties, Chirinos relies on lived experience. He is a bilingual connector and helps Latino stars grasp the nuances of team meetings—something most people overlook, however, stars deeply appreciate.

In addition, it is not just related to language—it is related to tone. “He does a great job of keeping the spirits up”, said Hyde. “Positivity in the dugout is unbelievable. He is incredibly supportive, very well respected… a real calm voice that has a real positive tone all the time”. Such a steady tone matters, specifically, when you are coaching stars who are not used to losing streaks. Buck Britton added, “I have a relationship with a lot of these guys, so it is easy for me to push their buttons”.

As the team tries to climb out of their early-season mess, Chirinos’ availability is not just related to approaches—it is related to trust. He is not just Hyde’s extension in the dugout. He is the star who has lived it and knows when to speak and when to step back.

Orioles pitching prospects poised for the big league

As the team grappled with an intricate 13-21 beginning to the year and in the last game lost to the Twins, the spotlight turned to their minor league system, filled with promising pitching stars ready to make an impact. With the major rotation struggling and multiple star pitchers sidelined, the team is analyzing its depth to identify powerful reinforcements. Because Robinson Chirinos can not help the team if it lacks depth.

Among the top faces is right-hander Kyle Brnovich. He has posted a 4.39 ERA with a 25.4 percent strikeout rate for Triple-A Norfolk. Signing Dylan Bundy in the trade, his performance highlights that Brnovich could be an effective option for the team’s rotation. In addition, Cameron Weston, the Orioles’ No. 12 prospect, has highlighted control, despite a 5.96 ERA through six starts. In addition, a six-pitch mix with the capability to restrict walks makes Weston a powerful resource for the major league staff.

The bullpen could also see fresh options, with Yaramil Hiraldo emerging as a standout. The 29-year-old right-handed star has gotten admiration at the period of his rehab assignments. That time, he boasted a 0.63 ERA over 14 1/3 innings across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Hiraldo’s mid-90s fastball places him as an option to bolster the team’s relief corps. In addition, Nate Webb is another vital face. He is returning from Tommy John surgery and has recorded a 2.57 ERA in 14 Triple-A innings. Such numbers highlight his power.

While less likely, some Double-A pitchers are making compelling cases for promotion. Keagan Gillies has delivered a dominating performance early in the season. He enabled just one run over 12 1/3 innings. Gillie’s performance could prompt the team to consider him for a bullpen role. In addition, Braxton Bragg has turned heads with his powerful outings, earning a current promotion to Double-A Chesapeake. Though a major league debut this season is improbable, continued success could accelerate his trajectory.

The Orioles could be facing a tough moment, but beneath the surface lies a reshaping approach driven by experience, trust, and raw power. Robinson Chirinos is not just filling out the gap—he is recharging an environment that badly needed a reset. With a voice star’s trust and a thought process rooted in resilience, Chirinos is enhanced as a quiet but potent force in the team. In addition, the reinforcements are coming. The team’s farm system, stocked with stars ready for their shot, could hold the key to salvaging the season. The real concern is: will the mix of old wisdom and new stars spark a turnaround before the hole gets too deep?

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