Grade Mike Elias
Your grade joins the crowd-sourced Fan Verdict.
On the Contract Value Index, Mike Elias's front office has been getting good value for the money (B+ Contract Value Index). That ranks 16th of 30 on Sentiment among graded GMs. Reaction to the front office’s moves has been mixed (C Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal.
93
Transactions
93
Graded
0
Fan Votes
7 years
Tenure
24
Positive
59
Mixed
10
Negative
#16
Sentiment Rank
of 30 GMs
#6
Most Active
93 moves
Orioles' front office has been finding value this offseason, getting strong production relative to contract commitments. Across 5 contracts, 1 grade out as good value and 3 look like overpays based on comparable deals around the league. The best bang-for-the-buck deal was Shane Baz (B) at $3.5M/yr — getting rhp production well above the price point. The priciest commitment relative to production was Adley Rutschman (F) — the catcher market may have been richer than the on-field return suggests. This front office is maximizing its payroll dollars and building sustainable depth.
The Orioles have had mixed results under Mike Elias this 2026 offseason, with both praised and questioned decisions. Of 93 graded moves, 24 landed well with the fanbase, 59 drew mixed reactions, and 10 were viewed negatively. The standout move was bringing in Ryan Helsley (A+), which generated the most positive buzz. The most questioned decision was the Jackson Kowar dfa (F), which drew the sharpest criticism. The overall direction has been well-received — this front office is building with a clear vision.
Auto-moderated fan forum with 5-minute speaker turns
Loading discussion...
Mike Elias is the general manager of the Orioles, in his 8th year as the lead executive. FanVerdicts covers every MLB GM and the full body of moves they've made — and asks fans to render the verdict. Cast your Fan Verdict on Mike Elias, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — the contract value of the deals they signed, the performance of the players they assembled, and the sentiment around recent moves — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index B+, Performance F, Sentiment C.
Each GM grade is rolled up from the underlying transactions attributed to that GM's tenure. When a GM signs a player, that signing's Contract Value Index grade flows into the GM's portfolio score; the same player's subsequent performance and sentiment grades flow into the GM's respective summaries. Phased attribution applies for new GMs: the first three years weight the prior GM's legacy deals at 100%/66%/33%, ramping the new GM's ownership of roster outcomes.
For broader context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, and the transactions feed. The MLB GM rankings page ranks every front office side-by-side on the same four dimensions.
Orioles sign LHP Nick Raquet
signing · LHP
Orioles acquire RHP Kyle Nicolas
trade · RHP
Orioles acquire RHP Christian Roa
trade · RHP
Orioles acquire RHP Trey Gibson
trade · RHP
Orioles acquire RHP Axel Perez
trade · RHP
Orioles acquire LHP Jayvien Sandridge from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for cash considerations and optioned him to Norfolk
trade · LHP
Orioles acquire RHP Jackson Kowar
trade · RHP
Orioles acquire INF Blaze Alexander
trade · INF · $0.8M/yr